A NEW $900,000 offshore artificial reef is to be built off the coast from Port Macquarie on the NSW mid north coast.
The announcement was made today by NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, and Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams.
“The Port Macquarie region is already an incredibly popular fishing destination for recreational fishers and this new offshore artificial reef will only add to that popularity,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
The construction of the artificial reef is expected to take about two years.
“Once constructed, the reef will in a very short time develop into a complex reef habitat supporting a diverse fish community, which will attract many iconic fish species including Spanish mackerel, cobia, pearl perch and snapper,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
The proposed reef is expected to be located in water around 30 metres deep within easy access from the entrance to the Hastings River.
“The Department of Primary Industries will now undertake a detailed environmental assessment and extensive consultation with recreational and commercial fishers and other stakeholders before a final location is selected,” Mrs Williams said.
“It is proposed to construct the Port Macquarie offshore fishing reef using multiple concrete purpose-built artificial reef units which will be lowered to the ocean floor to form clusters.
“Depending on the dimensions of the final concrete reef design selected, between 20 and 40 concrete units will be used to construct a series of clusters that will form patches of the 800 cubic-metre reef.”
For more information, visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/artificial-reefs
NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams, and Department of Primary Industries fisheries enhancement and occupational diving manager, Dr Heath Folpp, in Port Macquarie today to announce the new North Coast offshore artificial reef.
