BLOG: Artificial benefits

I try not to get too political on this blog and prefer to keep the conversation directed to more positive topics. We could rant all day regarding the plight of our sport in the hands of misinformed pollies...

One aspect I would like to ponder today though is whether the band-aid approach to artificial reefs is acceptable compensation for locking us out of our prime fishing locations? While artificial reefs have been used to promote better fishing in estuarine waters across NSW, especially in rec-only havens, will this approach of establishing new artificial reefs in offshore locations be a viable substitute?

It’s hard for me not be pessimistic. I would be interested to see if the volume of reefs gobbled up in no-take green zones reflects the amount of artificial reefs supplied back to us. It would be difficult to assume it will balance out and what we will end up with is a more concentrated fishing effort on less available prime fishing spots.

On the SA government website an article titled "Do Artificial Reefs Work?" (read here) concerns are raised on the effectiveness of artificial reefs based on the impact reefs have made on the local fish stocks:

It was hoped that the organised installation of artificial reefs would enhance recreational fishing in two ways. Firstly, they would increase the total habitat available for the production of target species, thereby increasing the total potential catch. Secondly, artificial reefs would provide superior fishing locations by concentrating target species in greater numbers than natural areas.

However, more recent research on the effect of artificial reefs on fish populations brings these motives into question. Whether artificial reefs actually contribute to increasing the population of a particular fish species is arguable. Studies in tropical waters have concluded that increased production, if any, caused by artificial reefs was small when compared with the increased stock availability. In other words, in these situations, the artificial reefs acted primarily as aggregating devices and, therefore, they could potentially have detrimental effects on fish stocks.

The concept for constructing artificial reefs as a means of enhancing recreational fisheries is now considered questionable by fisheries managers if we are to maintain fish stocks at sustainable levels. Further research is needed into the effects of artificial reefs on the availability of fish and the ecology and productivity of the marine ecosystem in South Australian waters before any future reef building projects should be considered.

So what chance do we have of a fair and equitable outcome? The very institution that is encouraging artificial reefs as a means of compensation is refuting the effectiveness of its own bargaining collateral.

The problem that I have with all this is I will gladly take artificial reefs, knowing they could potentially devastate fish populations, than having no compensation. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially for good, rational, conservation-minded fishos among us.

Where do you stand on the artificial reef issue? I would love to hear your thoughts.