Artificial Reef

[insanojackson]

I would like to emphasise again, i am sure the engineers and marine biologists involved in the project will know exactly what they are doing and the effect it will have on the physical and natural environment. More than any of us on here anyway!

 

[KeithB]

I would like to emphasise again, i am sure the engineers and marine biologists involved in the project will know exactly what they are doing and the effect it will have on the physical and natural environment. More than any of us on here anyway!

Agreed!!!

But will they care?

 

[willywetegg]

Of course they will know what effect it will have on the environment Ian, problem is will it make any difference if it effects the shore fisherman? It is not being put there to help fishermen, it is supposed to be for surfers "There is also the potential for commercial fishermen", "Reefs can be designed for species such as Crabs and Lobsters". Those two statements would concern me plus "It can be constructed about 100 feet from the shore from rocks or sand bags" One hundred feet? that is not very far at all lol. I suppose if you are a surfer it is fantastic news, I would like to see feedback from other area's that have done the same thing first.

Jim.

 

[insanojackson]

Of course they will know what effect it will have on the environment Ian, problem is will it make any difference if it effects the shore fisherman? It is not being put there to help fishermen, it is supposed to be for surfers "There is also the potential for commercial fishermen", "Reefs can be designed for species such as Crabs and Lobsters". Those two statements would concern me plus "It can be constructed about 100 feet from the shore from rocks or sand bags" One hundred feet? that is not very far at all lol. I suppose if you are a surfer it is fantastic news, I would like to see feedback from other area's that have done the same thing first.

Jim.

i saw the news last night and i thought 100 feet was a mistake by the presenter, for 2 reasons really 1) the model/images they showed looked like it was a lot more than 100 feet 2) if they want a permanent surf then its no good putting it 100 feet from the shore as at least half of the time it would be exposed by the tide.

If it is positioned so its always under water i can only see it having a positive effect to be honest. especially if its just within casting range.

ON a similar topic, does anyone know whether the breakwater/reef think they put at Newbiggin has had a positive or negative effect on the fishing??

 

[5150]

Handy reading.

http://library.coastweb.info/807/1/Microsoft_Word_-_Challinor_and_Weight_paper.pdf

Artificial reef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And the full article in the Journal: Surfing support for Tynemouth artificial barrier reef - JournalLive

 

[treeboa]

I would like to emphasise again, i am sure the engineers and marine biologists involved in the project will know exactly what they are doing and the effect it will have on the physical and natural environment. More than any of us on here anyway!

i bet the same type of guys thought that when they built the seaforth rocks on the mouth of the mersey, it ripped out the sand on the opposite side of the river and along the sea defences towards the river dee, im not talking a little bit either, more like tens of feet,it has now cost god only knows what to biuld further breakwaters and reefs to try to get it back, in places is still not back to were it was

as a kid prior to the rocks being built you could as a kid jump off here

this is how it used to be

Google Image Result for http://www.chavasse.u-net.com/images/onb.jpg



Sea defence - CLIMATE - University of Liverpool

 

[insanojackson]

i bet the same type of guys thought that when they built the seaforth rocks on the mouth of the mersey, it ripped out the sand on the opposite side of the river and along the sea defences towards the river dee, im not talking a little bit either, more like tens of feet,it has now cost god only knows what to biuld further breakwaters and reefs to try to get it back, in places is still not back to were it was

as a kid prior to the rocks being built you could as a kid jump off here

this is how it used to be

Google Image Result for http://www.chavasse.u-net.com/images/onb.jpg



Sea defence - CLIMATE - University of Liverpool

Fair point but tidal prediction and computer modelling has moved on a lot since then. I would imagine years ago they would have just plonked the rocks wherever they thought looked right. They will be a lot more scientific now!

 

[phill_itofish]

The reef will not make the surf any more consistant!! but what it will do is improve the wave quality. Reef breaks are alot more intence, they are what we (surfers) call hollow waves, like pipes. These, in the most part are created by reefs because the slow the bottom of the wave down faster then the top of the wave causing the top to colapse over, radical man!!

I couldnt comment what effect this will have on the enviroment but i do know this is not the first artifical reef to be installed in the world and as far as i'm aware the all seem to premote marine live, so that can only be a good think right!!

 

[Stores]

I hope I don't come over as being negative or anti surfing 'cos I'm not and if the installation of a reef has more benefits than drawbacks then fine. It just seems that using the abundence of life argument in an area alive with life anyway seems superfluous. If the benefit is a financial regeneration of the area based on tourism and an influx of people then just say that. I'm sure it would have a lot of support, regardless of the effect on the beach.

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

Putting the fishing to one side for a minute...there is a need, I feel, to regenerate the "Seaside" feel to our coastline on the North Side of the Tyne...Whitley Bay has gone to the dogs as has Tynemouth (Blyth are trying but scallywags keep vandalising the efforts)...South Shields is a good example of money well spent in that regard

As to the fishing, a breakwater/reef type thing can't neccessarily be a bad thing...such has been said previously there are people with a bit more more know how than us who should have weighed up all the neccessary gubbins to get the balance right

 

[5150]

Comment in the journal mirrors pretty much what is in the pdf document i posted the link to, benefits identified are:

:: Surfing. The reef could be built to manipulate waves to break in a predictable pattern and location. “It would increase the number of surfing days and create better surfing waves and more of them,” said Dr Rose.

:: Diving. “There is already a lot of diving off the North East coast and it is growing. The reef could include features of interest for divers and a training platform.”

:: Fisheries. The reef would attract marine life such as fish, crabs and lobsters and could become a nursery which would “seed” the sea to the benefit of biodiversity and commercial fishing. “By creating marine habitats it could also be used for educational and research purposes,” said Dr Rose.

:: Coastal protection. “Reef technology could be developed in the North East which, with the prospect of climate change, could put the region at the forefront of creating coastal defences but with a range of other functions.”

:: Underwater artworks. These could be linked by webcam to locations such as the Tynemouth Blue Reef aquarium and Baltic art centre.

 

[willywetegg]

Lol Tony, I bet the people of Tynemouth are as excited about getting this artificial reef as the people of Whitley Bay are about getting their new conference centre where the Spanish City was.

Lets hope that the people that SHOULD have weighed up the neccessary gubbins are not the same people that came up with the idea of a sea fishing licence mate.

Jim.

Hahahaha was trying to do two things at once and put this in the wrong place, never mind sorted now.

Jim.

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

Lol Tony, I bet the people of Tynemouth are as excited about getting this artificial reef as the people of Whitley Bay are about getting their new conference centre where the Spanish City was.

Lets hope that the people that SHOULD have weighed up the neccessary gubbins are not the same people that came up with the idea of a sea fishing licence mate.

Jim.

Hahahaha was trying to do two things at once and put this in the wrong place, never mind sorted now.

Jim.

Is that what the Dome is going to be? sheesh *shakes head*

Simple things like re-generating the promenades would go a long way I feel - generally just tidying the place up a little as well - although I'm given to understand that process is underway...

 

[willywetegg]

Aye that's the last I heard before they started pulling it all down Tony.

I do think the reef is a fantastic idea if it has been thought through properly and all of there information is correct. The problem is in this country that things quite often are not planned properly and it ends up costing ten times as much to put them right again. My biggest worry would be if they did mess up, how long would it take to repair the damage, if they could repair it.

Jim.

 

[Phantom of Hook House]

Other than create another fishing spot - hopefully there would be some nice holes at either end/in front or behind, I can't see it making much difference. There are hundereds of natural reefs all the way up the coast already! It won't be much use if its 200yards off the beach either!