DEAR News Of The Area,
IT is very pleasing to see that the long-touted Coffs Harbour artificial reef has finally arrived and been deployed in 28m of water offshore, south and east, of Sawtell.
Standing 12m tall, the twin 15-metre, 50-tonne square steel structures are placed approximately 560m apart and will, in a surprisingly short time, provide the habitat that will attract schools of baitfish and the larger fish that prey on them.
The placement of the two towers in this location by the Department of Primary Industry provides an alternative focal point for fishers from Coffs and Sawtell.
These fishers may otherwise head into the waters of the Solitary Islands Marine Park.
The artificial reef will help to alleviate the pressure on the key fishing areas in the Park, and provide an alternative mark that will have the southerly astern coming back to port, as opposed to battling into it all the way from Split or South.
Regards,
Ian Shaw,
Red Rock.

