Artificial reefs in the NT
An artificial reef is a man-made underwater structure built to promote marine life.
It is used to create new habitat for fish to help increase numbers and reduce pressure on existing natural reef and fish stocks.
There are several artificial reefs located in the Northern Territory at Fenton Patches, Darwin Harbour, Dundee, Adelaide River Mouth, North Gutter and Lee Point.
Artificial reefs create new fish habitat and provide new fishing areas that can help reduce pressure on existing natural reefs and fish stocks.
Engineered artificial reefs
Four specifically engineered reef complexes were installed in 2019.
The reef complexes are large concrete structures that are five metres tall and four metres square at the base, weighing about 24 tonnes.
The reefs are expected to last up to 100 years and will attract a variety of species to suit a range of fishing techniques and abilities.
| Location Name | Position | Approximate Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Point Wide | 12 10.083’S 130 47.033’E | 28 |
| Gutters central | 12 09.459’S 130 34.655’E | 28 |
| Dundee Wide | 12 44.445’S 130 10.387’E | 16 |
| Adelaide River Mouth | 12 07.587’S 131 11.545’E | 16 |
Fenton Patches
Marchart 3
Type: 32m steel oil rig tender.
Approximate position: 12° 10.275'S 130° 40.635'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod, tuna and mackerel.
Bus Stop Reef
Type: 6 x steel shipping pontoons, 45 x truck tyres, 3 x concrete bus shelters, 1 x 10m steel boat cut in two sections. Approximate total 200 tonnes of materials.
Approximate position: 12° 11.163'S 130° 41.165'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod, tuna and mackerel.
Pipeline Reef
Type: 200 tonnes of large concrete pipes.
Approximate position: 12° 11.669'S 130° 40.390'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod, tuna and mackerel.
Galah and Heron
Type: 2 x 20m vessels.
Approximate position: 12° 9.701'S 130° 40.750'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod, tuna and mackerel.
Cockatoo and Mudlark
Type: 2 x 20m vessels.
Approximate position: 12° 10.097'S 130° 39.732'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod, tuna and mackerel.
Amanda Lee
Type: 1 x 20m steel vessel.
Approximate position: 12° 09.691'S 130° 40.721'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod and mackerel.
Antares and Steel Barge
Type: 1 x 20m steel vessel and a 10m x 10m steel barge
Approximate position: 12° 09.937'S 130° 41.363'E
Approximate depth: 25m
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod and mackerel.
Amelia C and Merindah Pearl
Type: 2 x 25m steel vessels.
Approximate position: 12° 09.810'S 130° 41.409'E.
Approximate depth: 25m.
Common species: jewfish, saddle-tail snapper, golden snapper, trevally, estuary cod and mackerel.
Darwin Harbour artificial reefs
Ham Luong
Type: 15m steel Vietnamese refugee boat.
Approximate position: 12° 28.65'S 130° 47.9'E.
Approximate depth: 24m.
Common species: golden snapper, estuary cod, tusk fish and jewfish.
John Holland Barge
Type: 18m x 12m steel barge - four parallel steel cylindrical pontoons plus a deck house of steel and wood and one small steel work boat hull nearby.
Approximate position: 12° 28.55'S 130° 47.88'E.
Approximate depth: 24m.
Common species: tusk fish, jewfish, golden snapper and estuary cod.
Stokes Hill Wharf artificial reef
Type: Three vessels and several concrete pipes.
Approximate position: beneath fishing platform on wharf's approach - also see Neptuna, wartime wreck.
Approximate depth: 10m.
Common species: jewfish, queenfish, estuary cod, golden snapper, mackerel.
Medkhanun 3
Type: 30m steel confiscated foreign fishing vessel.
Approximate position: 12° 28.710'S 130° 48.145'E.
Approximate depth: 20m.
Common species: jewfish, golden snapper, estuary cod and Spanish flag.
Lee Point artificial reefs
Bottlewasher Reef
Type: decommissioned coke bottle washing machine and various plant equipment plus 1,500 tonnes of concrete culverts.
Approximate position: 12° 18.159'S 130° 51.765'E.
Approximate depth: 15m.
Common species: jewfish, golden snapper, estuary cod, Spanish flag, mackerel.
Truck Tipper Reef
Type: 20 mining truck side tippers and two decommissioned steel vessels.
Approximate position: 12° 17.979'S 130° 50.370'E.
Approximate depth: 15m.
Common species: jewfish, golden snapper, estuary cod, Spanish flag.
Rick Mills Reef
Type: Assorted plant equipment, 1,500 tonnes of concrete culverts, five shipping containers and various vessel hulls.
Approximate position: 12° 18.451'S 130° 48.872'E.
Approximate depth: 15m.
Common species: jewfish, golden snapper, estuary cod, mackerel, Spanish flag.
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