Man-made reef sites on Mid-North Coast: Possible locations identified by government

The NSW Government will soon decide on where it will build its next artificial reef off the state’s coastline, with six locations from Seal to South West Rocks.

Fisherman living between Seal and South West Rocks are hoping a sanctuary of fresh marine life will call their backyard home soon, with six locations between the two suburbs now on the Government’s radar for the next man-made reef.

The NSW Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries have invited fisherman to pinpoint the next locations for the hugely popular offshore artificial reef installation program, with six of the 37 locations between the Victorian and QLD border falling within the Mid-North Coast.

The locations of interest for the man-made reefs, which are designed to enhance fishing opportunities, by creating additional habitat for local aquatic organisms and fish, include six locations at South West Rocks, Port Macquarie, North Forster and South Forster.

The making of an artificial reef of the coast of Port Macquarie. Pic NSW DPI

Fishing clubs, organisations and the broader recreational fishing community are all invited to nominate suitable locations for NSW’s next artificial reef locations.

The NSW DPI artificial reef program is building offshore reefs to enhance recreational fishing, by using innovative and state of the art reef designs to deflect currents to create eddies and upwelling’s to provide intricate habitats for a variety of fish species.

Forster fishing charter group, Reel Ocean Adventures, are behind the push for an offshore artificial reef about three nautical miles from the Forster-Tuncurry entrance.

Owner Phil Gogerly has started a petition on Change.org to develop a ground swell of support for its inclusion, and provide to the NSW DPI.

Mr Gogerly told The Mid-North Coast News that there’s growing support among fisherman for the move.

“We’ve spoken to the professional fisherman and the trawler fisherman to help find an area that they thought would be suitable that wasn’t going to interfere with them, and we came up with an area which is just under three miles off the bar,” he said.

“We’ve been talking with Fisheries about that and they are really happy with that area at the moment. Obviously still have to go through the process, but we’re in a good running because we’ve done all the ground work for them.

He said the reef would help create a buffer for new marine life to flourish free from southerly winds and swells.

Phil Gogerly, right. Pic Facebook.

“This reef would give us a location which is protected from the large south swells and winds where we could go and fish,” he said.

“Not only us, but guys in smaller boats – say five and six metre tinnies, somewhere that’s easily accessible for them and only being a couple of minutes outside the bar it’s going to give them a variety of fish such as king fish, jewfish and all of the mackerel, cobia, species that are seasonal fish that people like to chase.

He said if the project where to be successful, the new reef would take about two-to-three years for it to produce new marine species.

NSW DPI has also deployed a number of artificial reefs in estuaries along the states coast, including one which was built in Port Macquarie in 2016.

To nominate a location for consideration, fisherman should complete the online survey at https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/artificial-reef