Tag: artificial reef

WA’s latest artificial reef set to make waves off Carnarvon

Recfishwest has welcomed the announcement that WA’s largest artificial reef will be deployed off Carnarvon by the end of August, providing a significant boost for recreational fishers in the Gascoyne and across the State.

A total of 300 concrete reef modules will be lowered to the seabed 7km off Pelican Point, covering 90,000 square metres – an area larger than Optus Stadium. The reef will be easily accessible from the town’s boat ramp and provide structure and habitat for species such as pink snapper, mulloway, blue-lined emperor, cod, cobia, trevally and mackerel.

The announcement was made over the weekend at the Carnarvon Coral Bay Road Depot, with Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis, Carnarvon Shire President Eddie Smith, and Recfishwest Partnerships and Business Development Manager Tim Grose in attendance, alongside other key stakeholders.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said the reef was the result of years of advocacy and collaboration by the local community and fishing groups.

“This is a great example of what can be achieved when communities come together with a shared vision for better fishing and this is exactly the kind of thing our fishing licence fees should be backing,” Andrew said.

“Artificial reefs are proven assets for supporting local fish populations and providing safe, reliable and enjoyable fishing opportunities. We’re proud to have played a role in helping make this happen for the people of Carnarvon.”

Working together to make fishing better 

The project has been delivered in partnership between the Shire of Carnarvon, Carnarvon Chamber of Commerce, Gascoyne Development Commission, DPIRD, and Recfishwest, with the reef modules manufactured locally by Cyan Marine.

Shire President Eddie Smith said the deployment would be a major boost for the town.

“The entire community is going to be pleased to see it going in the water,” he said.

“Every backyard in Carnarvon has a tinny in it and anyone will now be able to go out and catch a good eating fish – it’s going to increase everyone’s capacity to catch a fish.”

Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis said the reef would deliver important social and economic outcomes for the region.

“It’s fantastic to be in Carnarvon with the local fishing community to announce this major milestone,” Minister Jarvis said.

“Not only will the reef enhance the quality of fishing for locals and visitors, it also aligns with our commitment to invest in regional communities and marine habitat.”

Blue-lined emperor (left) and mulloway (right) are just two of many species that are expected to flourish around the artificial reef modules, with many others expected to make reels scream.

Artificial reefs supporting marine resilience

The Carnarvon reef is the first artificial reef to be deployed in WA since Ocean Reef in 2021, and will be the eighth in WA’s artificial reef network, joining those in Esperance, Exmouth, Dunsborough, Bunbury, Mandurah, Rottnest and Ocean Reef

Beyond the fishing benefits, artificial reefs like this one play an important role in enhancing marine biodiversity and resilience. Recent research from King Reef in Exmouth, conducted by Curtin University and the WA Museum, revealed diverse marine life – including species yet to be formally identified – thriving on the reef structures.

“As we face increasing pressures from climate change and habitat loss, building new reef infrastructure is one of the ways we can help support marine ecosystems and sustain fish populations for future generations,” Dr Rowland said.

The reef will begin deployment in coming weeks and is expected to become a key fishing destination for both Carnarvon locals and travelling fishers.

The Carnarvon Artificial Reef was made possible by the WA Government’s Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund and led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with support from the Gascoyne Development Commission and Recfishwest.

King Reef’s “underwater laboratory” boosts scientific understanding of artificial reef benefits

Exmouth’s King Reef is proving a win for both recreational fishing and marine science, with a growing body of research highlighting the ecological value of artificial reefs built with repurposed steel structures.

Driven by a partnership between Recfishwest and Woodside Energy, the project has grown into a broader collaboration including Curtin University, WA Museum, Blue Media Exmouth, Exmouth Game Fishing Club (EGFC), and Underwater Focus.

“From underwater video and citizen science, to sampling the marine environment for DNA, we’re building a deeper understanding of how King Reef is fostering a vibrant and productive marine ecosystem,” said Recfishwest Artificial Reefs Officer Eligh Quigley.

“This work is sure to become increasingly important as marine heatwaves and coral bleaching events are forecast to become more frequent, with artificial reefs assisting in building resilience in the marine environment.”

Below, we explore some of the diverse research being done on King Reef.

Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUVs)

Recfishwest conducts twice-yearly Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys to track reef development, supported by local charter operators. BRUV monitoring is done through an underwater video system attached to a bait basket and lowered to the seafloor at selected locations. Since 2018, over 120 species have been recorded at King Reef.

Curtin University Professor Euan Harvey noted King Reef’s biodiversity outpaces nearby natural habitats, underlining its ecological value.

Check out Recfishwest’s latest BRUV footage from King Reef in the video below!

Citizen science data collection – King of the Reef fishing comp

To celebrate King Reef’s biodiversity and great fishing, Recfishwest, Woodside and EGFC launched the ‘King of the Reef’ fishing competition. Running from June to September 2024, fishers submitted catches through the Track My Fish app.

With over 280 fish entered by nearly 80 participants — about 30% from outside Exmouth — the local engagement and tourism benefits artificial reefs can create are clear. A total of 20 different species were captured and logged at King Reef alone. The competition returns in 2025.

Just two of the great species that were landed during the King of the Reef competition, with black snapper and giant trevally turning up in good numbers.

Underwater media

Award-winning photographer Violeta J. Brosig of Blue Media Exmouth captures vivid reef imagery, identifying cryptic fish species not seen in BRUV footage and helping to illustrate the ecological development of King Reef. Violeta’s high-definition media provides a great window for fishers and the wider community into the rich marine life thriving on these amazing structures!

Some of Violeta J. Brosig’s incredible underwater photography from King Reef.

Remote Underwater Camera Systems

In 2024, Recfishwest partnered with Underwater Focus to trial live-streaming underwater cameras. More than 500 videos were extracted from the live steaming, capturing key species like mackerel, coral trout, and even first-time sightings like pennant trevally. An innovative UV-cleaning system kept lenses clear during the extended camera deployment.

eDNA Sampling

Partnering with Curtin University and the WA Museum, Recfishwest is exploring King Reef’s biodiversity using a combination of visual and environmental DNA (eDNA) methods, with a major focus on habitat-forming animals, including corals and sponges.

eDNA methods allow scientists to detect a wide range of species through sampling the marine environment for DNA, reducing the time that divers need to be in the water. Sampling at King Reef is set for mid-2025 and will help show how the marine communities flourishing at King Reef compare with nearby natural and artificial habitats.

Benthic biodiversity at King Reef, captured by Blue Media Exmouth.

King Reef’s various monitoring programs delivered by Recfishwest and facilitated and funded by Woodside Energy build on years of research, in partnership with Curtin University and the local fishing community. Outcomes from this research will assist in the planning and design of artificial reefs in the future, by showcasing the ecological value of different materials such as the repurposed steel modules. But best of all, it will show how these novel ecosystems can create more resilient environments and make fishing even better!

Port Hedland community to get a new artificial reef!

Recfishwest is excited to announce plans to install a new artificial reef off the coast of Port Hedland in partnership with BHP.

A new addition to the State’s network of seven current artificial reefs, the new Port Hedland Reef will be in around 20m of water off the coast and create new fish habitat for popular recreational fishing species such as coral trout, Rankin cod, red emperor and Spanish mackerel.

The new reef will complement other initiatives for the avid Pilbara fishing town, including the fish aggregation devices (FADs – also installed in partnership with BHP) and the state-of-the-art Spoilbank Marina and will realise a long-held aspiration of the Port Hedland fishing community.

Recfishwest has partnered with DPIRD to install all seven of the State’s reefs with each of the reefs providing significant fishing opportunities, environmental benefits and an uptick in fishing tourism wherever they have been installed.

Recfishwest has been working with DPIRD to obtain the permit for the reef’s installation, which is currently going through rigorous commonwealth approvals, with installation of the reef likely towards the end of the year.

You can expect to see top quality species like coral trout, Rankin cod, red emperor and Spanish mackerel prowling the Port Hedland artificial reef! (King Reef image top left courtesy of Blue Media Exmouth)

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “This reef will build on the success of the seven artificial reefs already on the ocean floor around the State, with many more in the pipeline to make our great fishing even better!

“The waters off Port Hedland are habitat-limited for a range of important recreational fishing species. So, this reef is an opportunity to create accessible and enjoyable fishing opportunities in an area proposed by the local community, providing massive benefit to local and visiting fishers in the region.

“It is great to see BHP recognising the value of recreational fishing for the local community and supporting this project to enhance fishing opportunities in the Pilbara.”

BHP WA Iron Ore Asset President Tim Day said he was excited to partner with Recfishwest to provide Port Hedland’s recreational fishing community with more opportunities to fish off the coast.

“Fishing and boating are an important part of the Pilbara lifestyle and while a lot of people have boats, it’s not always easy or safe to get out on the water. A new reef will be a game changer, providing more opportunities to throw in a line,” Mr Day said.

“What’s good for the Pilbara is good for BHP – and projects like this one will continue to ensure Port Hedland is a great place to live and work.”

In addition to supporting the reef and fish aggregating devices, BHP also made a $12.4 million contribution to the newly opened Spoilbank Marina project as part of its commitment to healthy environments and creating thriving communities.

While the first phase of the reef’s development is already funded, there are opportunities for other partners to join the project to make the artificial reef even bigger and better. So if this is of interest to you, reach out to us here and help us make fishing better across WA!

Exmouth fishing competition captures highlights King Reef’s rich marine biodiversity

Anglers got to sample Exmouth Gulf’s crowning glory as part of Exmouth Game Fishing Club’s (EGFC’s) ‘King of the Reef ‘competition, which saw a total of 20 different species caught at King Reef artificial reef!

More than 280 fish were entered in the four-month long competition, putting a bend in rods and a smile on the dial of almost 80 entrants.

EGFC ran the competition with the support of Recfishwest and Woodside Energy, enabling fishers to wet a line around King Reef and Exmouth’s surrounds, while contributing to science by entering their catches via the Track My Fish App.

Recfishwest’s Artificial Reefs Approvals Officer Eligh Quigley said, “The catch data from the fishing community is helping us not only better understand the species diversity around King Reef, but is also strengthening fishers’ sense of stewardship of the environment.

“With these great outcomes, the case for deploying more artificial reefs around WA in the future is further strengthened – it’s a win-win-win. So a big thanks to EGFC, Woodside Energy and all those who entered the competition.”

With a swag of impressive prizes up for grabs, almost four fish on average were entered per fisher into the Track My Fish app. Twenty-four fishers from outside of Exmouth entered – further showcasing the attractive intrastate and interstate appeal of the fishing on offer at the reef.

Ben Gryta is the proud new owner of a $2,000 Surge Orion kayak after catching the most species – 10 no less –  at King Reef!

Just some of the vibrant species landed at King Reef were blackspotted tuskfish, cobia, flounder, Moses perch, coral trout, pink-banded grubfish, and several different varieties of emperor, mackerel, snapper and cod – to name a few!

From underwater snap to brag mat! Coral trout were just one of the many species logged during the competition, with 20 different species landed by fishers at King Reef alone. Top photo credit: Blue Media Exmouth.

EGFC Events Manager Ben Knaggs was not surprised at the sheer variety of fish species making reels sizzle, based on the artificial reef’s rapid growth he’s witnessed over the past six years.

“This is the fastest growing artificial reef in Australia, and it has certainly flexed its species diversity muscle over the past four months,” said Ben. “The variety in the competitors was just as mixed as the captures too and we had 60 seniors, 18 juniors and two fishers from New South Wales getting in on the action.

“Given it’s only 6.4km North-East of the Exmouth Marina boat ramp, it’s become a go-to spot for fishers in smaller boats providing just as much action and that ‘lucky dip’ species variety excitement like what you would find further offshore. And the best part is the reef will only keep on naturally growing in size and numbers of fish.”

King of the Reef capture snapshot

Most species on King Reef – Ben Gryta (10)

Red emperor – 10 caught in total, largest fish: Ben Gryta (73.5cms)

Spangled emperor – 58 caught in total, largest fish: Richard Papa (60.5cms)

Coral trout – Eight caught in total, largest fish: John Morley (76cms)

Blue-lined emperor – 38 caught in total, largest fish: Brock Keymer (49cms)

Spanish mackerel – 12 caught in total, largest fish: Quade Kitson (138.5cms)

Trevally – 25 caught in total, largest fish: Ben Knaggs (108.5cms)

Charlie court cod – 115 caught in total, largest fish: Lola Gryta (38cms)

A big Recfishwest congratulations and thank you to all competitors who contributed to science by logging your catches into the Track My Fish app!

The King of the Reef Competition will be back again in 2025 with an even better list of prizes up for grabs, so keep an eye out for it early in the new year!

Find out more about our wide network of artificial reefs in WA here.

Tantalizing prospect of potential artificial reef for Esperance Jetty

Fishing for species like Samson fish, skippy and squid from Esperance Jetty is likely to go to the next level with the potential installation of multiple artificial reef modules around the popular structure next year.

The Shire of Esperance is partnering with Recfishwest to explore the delivery of an artificial reef system, which will be the first large-scale artificial reef in WA that is accessible to land-based anglers and everyone in the community.

Recfishwest Programs Manager James Florisson told the ABC, “It could comprise of between 50-200 scientifically designed, purpose-built reef modules, which will increase the amount and diversity of habitat for marine organisms, in turn creating more fish and even better and more accessible fishing.

“It will be important and iconic, because there’s not a large amount of land-based fishing access like this around town for kids on bikes or anyone with two-wheel drive cars and you won’t need a boat or specialised gear to fish it.”

Click on the image above to listen to James Florisson’s chat with ABC Esperance regarding the exciting prospect of artificial reef modules being deployed off Esperance Jetty!

James speaks from experience having grown up in Esperance cutting his angling teeth as a “jetty rat” fishing on the old Esperance Tanker Jetty and having provided input into the design of the fishing features on the new jetty.

He also helped install Esperance’s existing artificial reef “Cooper Reef” in 2019, which comprises of 128 modules, 5km south-east of Bandy Creek in 30m of water which has helped enhance fishing for species such as nannygai, queen snapper and skippy. To see some of the great fish species now thriving around Cooper Reef, click here.

The next step in the jetty artificial reef project will require attaining Commonwealth environmental approvals, which will take roughly 12 months to complete – the expectation is that installation of the reefs will take place following community and stakeholder consultation in late 2025.

James and Recfishwest applauds the Shire of Esperance for their appreciation of the importance of fishing to the local community and their investment in it.

As someone who grew up in Esperance fishing off the boat and land as often as he could, James is all for these artificial reef modules to be deployed around the Esperance Jetty to help boost the marine abundance and land-based fishing opportunities for locals.

Exmouth’s King of the Reef competition flexing its species diversity muscle

We’re nearly halfway through Exmouth’s King of the Reef competition, and we’ve already seen a fantastic variety of species caught and released at the artificial reef and surrounds. 

To celebrate the spectacular fishing on offer at Exmouth’s King Reef, Recfishwest teamed up with Woodside Energy and the Exmouth Game Fishing Club to deliver the ’King of the Reef’ competition, inviting fishers to wet a line around the reef and contribute to marine science by entering their catches via the Track My Fish App (more info here). 

In June alone, 74 fish were measured and logged by competitors, with many being released. Some of the species bending rods around the artificial reef included spangled emperor, golden trevally, blue-lined emperor, Charlie Court and Spanish mackerel – just to name a few!    

The four-month-long competition runs to the end of September, so if you haven’t entered yet there is still plenty of time to have a crack at the $15,000 worth of prizes on offer! 

Given the abundance of species that are known to make reels sing around King Reef, the ‘Most Species Caught on King Reef’ major prize category has certainly got anglers buzzing to get out there! The fisher who catches the most species in this category (a minimum of 10 different species must be logged) will claim the top prize of an awesome $2,000 Surge Orion fishing kayak! 

The King of the Reef competition is ramping up and some top-quality catches are being entered into the Track My Fish app, including coral trout and red emperor.

It’s not just adults getting in on the action either, there is a competition category for young fishers aged 16/under for whoever catches the longest and mystery length Charlie Court each month. The longest overall eligible Charlie Court entry will take home a $400 Tackle World Exmouth gear pack! 

“The longest Charlie category for the kids has surprisingly been the most popular category so far!” said Recfishwest’s Artificial Reefs Officer Eligh Quigley. “It is great to see young anglers targeting an alternative species which is plentiful in the region.” 

“The catch data from the community is helping us not only better understand the species diversity around King Reef, but is also strengthening the case for more artificial reefs to be deployed around WA in the future, so get out there and have a crack!”  

Click here to see the competition’s prize categories!  

For more info on the competition and to see updates on catches, make sure you follow the Exmouth Game Fishing Club Facebook page and for the best advice on how to fish King Reef, check out the top tips from Exmouth Tackle & Camping’s Steve Riley in the video below! 

In 2018, a collaboration between Recfishwest, the Exmouth community and other stakeholders resulted in King Reef – the first integrated artificial reef to be deployed in the southern hemisphere. King Reef involved repurposing decommissioned steel buoys from BHP’s Griffin Field augmented with purpose-built concrete modules. 

With ongoing support from Woodside, King Reef has become a biodiversity hotspot, offering new fishing opportunities for locals and visitors to Exmouth while providing major ecological benefits.  

King of the Reef crown and $15k up for grabs in Exmouth Fishing for Science comp!

To celebrate the spectacular fishing on offer at Exmouth’s King Reef, Recfishwest is teaming up with Woodside Energy and the Exmouth Game Fishing Club to deliver the ’King of the Reef’ Fishing for Science competition!

The four-month-long comp invites fishers to fish around the King Reef artificial reef system and contribute to science by entering their catches via the Track My Fish App (more info here).

All entrants will be in the running for a swag of cracking fishing prizes valued at $15,000!

For more info on the King of the Reef competition check out the details below and make sure you enter the competition by clicking here!

A myriad of species 

The competition features overall, monthly and mystery length prizes for the myriad of species commonly found around King Reef such as red emperor, coral trout, Spanish mackerel, trevally and many others – all you have to do is catch them, measure them, then log the data into the App!

While entrants are not limited to fishing at King Reef, a Surge Orion fishing kayak valued at $2,000 is up for grabs for the most species caught at the reef over the competition period!

Want the best fishing tips for King Reef? Check out the amazing advice from Exmouth Tackle & Camping’s Steve Riley in the video below!

Exmouth Game Fishing Club President Ben Knaggs said, “We’re particularly happy to see so many family groups entering and competing and we’ve had kids as young as three years old already reporting solid captures.

“The King of the Reef competition also has the added benefit of providing some important catch data to Recfishwest on the wide variety of species that call this reef system home.

“The catch data submitted by competitors will help strengthen the case for more of these artificial reefs to be deployed around WA in the future.”

In 2018, a collaboration between Recfishwest, the Exmouth community and other stakeholders resulted in King Reef – the first integrated artificial reef to be deployed in the southern hemisphere. King Reef involved repurposing decommissioned steel buoys from BHP’s Griffin Field augmented with purpose-built concrete modules.

With ongoing support from Woodside, King Reef has become a biodiversity hotspot, offering new fishing opportunities and major ecological benefits. Watch the recent under water footage of King Reef captured by Blue Media Exmouth in the video below, which showcases the reef’s rapid development and biodiversity benefits!

COMPETITION DETAILS: 

SPECIES AND PRIZE DETAILS 

The past, present and future of WA’s artificial reefs and Recfishwest’s role!

Ever wanted to know the history of how artificial reefs became so successful around the world and the future reefs set to make a splash off our coastline?  

Recfishwest’s Programs Manager James Florisson also spoke with ABC Kimberley/Pilbara on the artificial reefs planned to be placed off the Broome and Carnarvon coasts along with FADs in our northern waters! Catch James’ radio interview by watching the video below!

Mark Pagano (DPIRD’s Aquatic Resource Management) also spoke to 6PR’s Glen Jakovich on artificial reef developments in the pipeline across WA, why certain reef materials are more productive, what species fishers can expect to catch and much more! You can catch Mark’s chat by clicking here. 

Want to know more about how Recfishwest is driving artificial reef deployments around WA? Click here.  

 

Happy 5th anniversary to Exmouth’s King Reef – a thriving fish habitat just five years after placement on the seabed

Five years ago, all that was there was the barren sandy seabed. 

Today, the area is teeming with vibrant colour, exotic coral and hundreds of marine species, including an array of fish species like trevally, coral trout, cod and mangrove jack.  

What has caused this dramatic transformation? The deployment of the six large, repurposed steel structures and nearly 50 concrete purpose-built modules that makes up King Reef – the fastest developing artificial reef in Australia! 

This latest spectacular video footage by underwater photographer Violeta J. Brosig from Blue Media Exmouth captures the rich biodiversity that has grown on the reef and seen the number of fish species observed on the reef rise to more than 100.  

In 2018, a collaboration between Recfishwest, the Exmouth local community, DPIRD, BHP, NERA, Subcon and Curtin University resulted in King Reef – the first integrated artificial reef deployed in the southern hemisphere covering an area of 27,000m³ – roughly the area of five footy ovals.  

With ongoing support from Woodside Energy, the reef has rapidly transformed the area from an underwater desert into a marine oasis with coral trout, bluebone, spangled emperor, red emperor, mangrove jack, cod, Spanish mackerel and even sailfish seen patrolling around the reef.  

An array of species are now commonly sighted by locals and tourists, spicing up the fishing opportunities and species diversity throughout the Gulf. 

Exmouth Tackle and Camping owner Steve Riley, who was instrumental in turning vision of a repurposed reef in Exmouth Gulf into a reality, said it provides great fishing for fishers in small boats.  

“King Reef is a very easy and accessible spot to fish and it’s brimming with life, so it’s perfect for small boat owners to get out for a fish,” he said.  

“Our record time for reaching the reef, having a troll and having two Spanish mackerel in the boat is seven minutes, that’s how good the fishing has become there!  

“Red emperor, amberjack and Rankin cod were barely reported at all throughout Exmouth Gulf before King Reef’s deployment, now these species are trickling outwards from the structure in great numbers and snorkelers have reported seeing red emperor in only four metres of water within the Gulf. It’s an unexpected, but welcome surprise.”   

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “King Reef is a perfect example of how repurposed structures like these can quickly create productive, abundant underwater habitats. It is a huge credit to the Exmouth community and all our partners who have helped bring this dynamic reef system to life. 

“Deploying habitat enhancement structures like King Reef is an internationally recognised and scientifically proven method to increase the productivity of our oceans. We are looking forward to seeing more of the structures creating new vibrant marine habitat like this in other parts of WA in the near future.” 

Check out more stunning imagery captured by Blue Media Exmouth below, showing the thriving fish and coral reef communities!  

Land-based fishing access for Port Hedland goes to the next level – literally!

Thanks to an innovative jetty design, Port Hedland’s new land-based fishing platform will adapt perfectly to the ever-changing conditions, so land-based fishers won’t have to!

What’s more, the Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has safely deployed six mangrove jack, cod and coral trout-attracting reef balls, donated by Rio Tinto, under the smart-design jetty to further enhance fishing opportunities.

PPA placed fishing considerations at the fore of its ongoing construction of the Spoilbank Marina, with better flexibility to fish during Port Hedland’s large tidal swings implemented into the jetty’s design and build.

Given the difference between the low and high tide mark in Port Hedland is frequently around six metres, PPA constructed two levels on the platform that allows fishers the freedom to wet a line either during the low or high tide mark, with wheelchair accessibility included.

Drawing on our artificial reef expertise, Recfishwest assisted PPA in the configuration of the six reef balls, providing tips on how to maximise the effectiveness of the reef modules.

Six reef balls have been safely positioned under the innovative dual-level fishing platform and slightly off to either side to create an inviting habitat for fish and boost the abundance in species for land-based anglers.

The pylons of the jetty themselves will help provide shelter and structure for the settlement of marine flora, algae, crustaceans and bait fish, further encouraging multiple species that fishers love to target to congregate and move between the pylons and individual reef structures.

We have also advised PPA on deploying additional reef ball modules and other reef structures around the marina parallel to the breakwall on the inside of the marina.

By providing other areas of habitat enhancement within the marina, this will help reduce overcrowding on the fishing jetty upon its completion, while also increasing catches of sought-after species.

An artist’s impression of the Spoilbank Marina fishing platform being constructed by the Pilbara Ports Authority. The platform will give recreational fishers improved access to fishing the fluctuating low or high-tide mark in Port Hedland.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “It’s great to see that the Pilbara Ports Authority have taken the interests of recreational fishers to heart in designing this marina and fishing platform – we’d like to see other Ports Authorities’ follow this example providing better access for land-based fishers.”

“Not only does the design take advantage of the fluctuating tides in this region, but the modules positioned in the marina will eventually house a wide range of species the community loves to catch.”

It’s good news for Port Hedland’s boat fishers too in the $187.5 million construction of the Spoilbank Marina project, funded by the State Government, Town of Port Hedland and BHP.

“Once complete, the marina will feature a four-lane boat ramp, 22 boat pens, fish cleaning stations and barbecue facilities,” said Pilbara Ports Authority General Manager Engineering and Infrastructure, Charles Kretzmann.

“The Spoilbank Marina will improve safe access to deep water by providing a separate entrance channel for recreational boaters and fishers to use away from large commercial bulk carriers navigating in and out of the port,” added Charles.

Recfishwest will continue to consult with PPA on the ongoing Spoilbank Marina construction, which is expected to be operational by late 2023, with landside completion expected in early 2024.

If you wish to keep up to date on the Spoilbank Marina project, check out the Spoilbank Marina Facebook Page.

Port Hedland has always been an attractive land-based fishing destination for many anglers given the wide range of species on offer and the new Spoilbank Marina development by the Pilbara Ports Authority aims to enhance fishing accessibility in this region.