Matt Moore explains the complex process behind establishing an artificial reef. Photo: Supplied.
A new artificial reef is on the horizon for Weipa to boost the community’s favourite activity – fishing.
The Weipa Marine and Boating Group (WMBG) recently consulted artificial reef expert Matt Moore after the group received a long-awaited Traditional Owner approval to establish the reef in Albatross Bay.
WMBG secretary Dave Donald said the artificial reef could improve the fishing experience and offset some of the impacts left by gillnet fishing.
“Fishing is probably the most popular pastime in town, both for locals and tourists, so it’s very important to have good fishing here, because it allows Rio Tinto to attract workers to the area,” he said.
“We have one of the biggest fishing charter fleets in Queensland, so that side of things is probably the most important money-earner for the town outside of mining.
“After the recent net-free closures, which we’ve been asking for a long time, it’s also going to hopefully restore some of the fish stocks that have been damaged, and provide a long-term economy for the town.
Mr Donald said after a presentation on the complexities of artificial reefs by Mr Moore, the group had gained the confidence to begin a comprehensive plan on structures and budgets.
“Mr Moore has recently been involved in the placement of reef structures off Mackay and Karumba, as well as working on several fishways aimed at allowing fingerlings to negotiate upstream through areas of string currents,” Mr Donald said.
“He’s done it before, so he’s very aware of how much costs are, how to navigate the complex approval process that has to be completed, and engineering and design of the structures.
“In terms of money, the amount we’ve got is very low; it normally involves millions of dollars, not a couple of hundred thousand dollars that we have, so we’re hoping to attract a lot more income support once we work out how much all the permits are going to cost.”
Mr Donald said several local companies had already shown interest in supporting the project financially.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to get everything done by the end of the year, but certainly within another 12 months, we should see some things happening,” he said.
