Minister's response about new artificial reefs in the bay

[Horse]

I can go along with the prelimenary research. We need areas that have the right characteristics. Many overseas artificial habitats have been a waste of time as they either broke up. did not support their own ecosystem or were quickly covered with substrate (mud or sand).
NSW fisheries is well advanced in the reef ball module style habitat construction and hopefully our guys learn from them.
As for the actual construction I reckon we can stretch the limited funding a long way further if we can provide some of the labor to construct the modules and use gov funds to cover equipment and materials. I would volunteer my time on a regular basis in order to improve our fishery.

Cheers

Neil

[SeaHunt]

How do you "trial" an artificial reef ?
Does that mean if the fish don't go there you hoist it up and put it somewhere else?
Stay away from sand and they would just about have to attract fish and therefore work.
As others have said most of the money will go in BS studies and red tape, probably only enough left to drop 3 bricks over the side.
I think I might trial my own, as many others have already done.

[Mike Delisser]

A bit of info here,
http://www.atse.org.au/uploads/Chong%20Pyun.pdf
Cheers
Mike

[reelchippy]

Thye'll put it in a green zone!!!!

Thats spot on get all the fish move in to the green zone that 30% thats coming

[BrewGuru]

The
Midnight
Artificial
Reef
Development
Corporation
How does one become a member?

[Ausfish]

I doubt you will see an Arti in the bay within 2 years from these guys. Probably be just "Jobs for the 6 pack" for a year or two doing research. Then, if they decide to put one in, it will probably be in a non fishing zone.

[cervelo]

At a guess the workshop that they have already had would have burnt 20k to 30k, the Project Manager and support staff salaries are coming out ofthe pot.

The best we will be looking at is a small arti which is closed for 2 to 4 years while the "scientists" study the reef.

My fear is that once they establish that it is a good ecosystem and has a wide diversity of marine life the push will come from the greenies to close the area to rec fishing.

Governments are notorious for spending money inefficiently.

1M could establish a number of good arti reefs if they spentit wisely which to build on Neil's suggestion harness an army of willing volunteers to assist.

I wonder if any of our local representatives were invited to the "workshop".

Cheers
Glenn