Artificial reef being installed off Perth’s Ocean Reef

Western Australia's seventh purpose-built artificial reef - the $1 million Northern Metropolitan Artificial Reef - is being installed this week off Perth's Ocean Reef to create safe and easily accessible recreational fishing and diving experiences along the metropolitan coastline.

The new artificial reef will be located approximately seven kilometres offshore from the Ocean Reef Marina at a depth of 27 metres and spanning an area of 150,000 square metres.

Over the next week, 292 concrete modules ranging from 70 centimetres to 1.8 metres high will be loaded onto a barge in Fremantle, transported to the reef location and placed in position on the ocean floor by local manufacturer Subcon Blue Solutions.

Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will monitor the development of the reef using remote underwater video and dive inspections of the reef.

The State Government worked closely with Recfishwest to select the Ocean Reef location, which will maximise benefits for local users and attract visitors to the area.

The new artificial reef was funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund, which reinvests recreational fishing licence fees into projects that benefit recreational fishers across Western Australia.

Additional artificial reefs are also located off Dunsborough, Bunbury, Mandurah, south of Rottnest Island, Esperance and in the Exmouth Gulf.

Consultation and planning is also underway for a new artificial reef off Albany, one of three new artificial reefs to be built as part of the State Government's $6 million package to support the recreational fishing industry through the WA Recovery Plan.

Western Australian Fisheries Minister Don Punch enthused  "It is fantastic to see the Ocean Reef artificial reef taking shape this week and creating an enjoyable recreational fishing and diving hotspot off our northern suburbs coastline.

"Artificial reefs are a great way to enhance recreational fishing by providing safe and easily accessible fishing locations for species such as yellowtail kingfish, samson fish, silver trevally and pink snapper.”

Joondalup MLA Emily Hamilton added "As a fisher and diver, I'm looking forward to the installation of this reef off the coast of Ocean Reef.

"Locals enjoy interacting with our coastline and this new artificial reef will become another location for recreational fishers to enjoy."

Image courtesy Artificial Reefs WA Facebook