Recfishwest’s world-first marine citizen science program, Reef Vision, is leading the way to monitor the artificial reef off Mandurah.
Reef Vision is a research project that uses recreational fishers to collect video footage of the fish and marine life on artificial reefs to assist in the monitoring and development of the reefs.
More fish calling Mandurah artificial reef home
Earlier this month, Recfishwest and project partners celebrated the launch of Peel Reef Vision in Mandurah with an information and training workshop held at the Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club (MOFSC).
Keen Peel region volunteers have already dropped cameras on the Mandurah artificial reef giving us a greater understanding on how this reef is developing and learning what fish species are using the reefs.
Tackle World Miami are kindly providing bait and advice to volunteers, enabling them to collect this footage of the reefs using their new specialised baited underwater video cameras.
Recfishwest and Murdoch University are again partnering to deliver the Peel Reef Vision program providing an excellent level of academic rigour to the program.
Murdoch are also managing our 2019 Southwest Reef Vision program that monitors the Dunsborough and Bunbury artificial reefs.
Recording the action underneath the surface
Peel Reef Vision volunteers have already recorded a range of species that use the reef including pink snapper, skippy, John dory, flathead, whiting and an octopus!
This new addition to the Reef Vision program compliments the existing community monitoring programs currently underway on artificial reefs deployed in Esperance, Exmouth, Dunsborough and Bunbury.
We would like to give a special thanks to the MOFSC for hosting the Reef Vision information evening.
The club have been an invaluable part of the deployment of the Mandurah artificial reef, and now with monitoring the reef’s development.
Peel Reef Vision is funded by the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund and supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Recfishwest.
Interested in our world first Reef Vision program?
If you are, email Recfishwest’s Steph Watts at steph@recfishwest.org.au to find out more
To see more underwater footage of various artificial reefs and some of the species calling them home, visit the Artificial Reefs WA Facebook page.
To read more about Artificial Reef Monitoring click here or Citizen Science Programs here.
See what’s biting on our other artificial reefs:
- Forty species seen on Exmouth’s newest fishing playground
- Recfishwest’s Rottnest fish towers fire up
