Anglers call for artificial reef off Geraldton
A doubling in the number of fish species at the sites of WA's first artificial fishing reefs has sparked calls from anglers for one to be built off Geraldton.
The $2.38 million fake reefs, off Dunsborough and Bunbury, were installed a year ago in a bid to boost stocks of several fish species, including skippy, samson fish and pink snapper.
WA's recreational fishing lobby Recfishwest says the reefs have attracted twice as many species than the 10 that were previously known at the sites, including unprecedented numbers of yellowtail kingfish.
Recfishwest principal policy officer Leyland Campbell, who has fished on the artificial reefs since they were put in, said he had received reports of recreational anglers fishing there daily.
Mr Campbell said potential locations for artificial reefs were off Perth, Geraldton, Albany, Derby and Port Hedland.
One is already planned for off Mandurah.
"Artificial reefs are being used around the world with great success and the doubling of fish numbers is indication that this project is a winner," Mr Campbell said.
"This is infrastructure that can be placed where there is a growing population.
"There are habitat enhancement structures for any environment."
Fisheries Minister Ken Baston said reports showed that one year on, the reefs were attracting significant numbers of fish and anglers.
Mr Baston said the trial project had given recreational fishers two new accessible and safe fishing locations.
He said it would boost tourism as the word spread about the quality fishing on offer.
The reefs - each made up of 30, 10-tonne concrete modules - were funded by $1.86 million in Royalties for Regions money and $520,000 in revenue from recreational fishing licences.
The State Government has committed $650,000 to the monitoring of the reefs for five years.
