Artificial Reef Project

[reef_northeast]

Hi, I hope you don't mind me posting this here, but I thought it would be a good place to find a bunch of people interested in marine life!

As surfers, I'm sure you will be interested in the sustainable development of the coastlines and the potential of better waves. With this in mind I am inviting you to share your opinion on a proposed artificial reef off the North East England coast.

The artificial reef is an exciting and innovative concept, which will bring many benefits to those involved in coastal pursuits such as; enhanced surfing, diving, sports fishing, commercial fishing, coastal protection, education and world class research.

At these early stages in the project, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the project and what you
would like to see.

Please visit - Reef Northeast - Have Your Say to complete a short questionnaire. You can also enter a prize draw to win £100.

For further information, please visit www.reefnortheast.com or email info@reefnortheast.org

Feel free to pass this on to anyone you think would be interested

Many thanks for your time,
Dr Craig Rose

- Apologies for cross-posting, but I am trying to reach as many people as possible.

[drowningbitbybit]

I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the project and what you
would like to see.

A reef that was well thought out, put in the right place, finished on time and budget, that actually worked and had negligible impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

Cant do any of those? Thought not.

The reef, which would be off North Tyneside, could boost the developing surfing and diving markets as well as doubling as a fisheries nursery and protective coastal barrier against climate change sea level rises and storm surges.

Now, Dr Rose, you've got a PhD in all of this so Im sure you know more about it than I do... but I suspect diving/nursery/surfing are going to be mutually exclusive. For it to be deep enough to dive, its not going to be shallow enough for a surfable reef


And hasnt the North East of the UK got enough reefs?

[Sillysausage]

yep dbb plenty of reefs up here for surfing.

[Roy Stewart]

Make surfboards which ride the existing waves rather than changing the coastline to try and suit surfboard fashion.

Artificial reefs are an abomination.

.

[Sykes]

Artificial reefs are great. The sea floor in this part of the Gulf of Mexico is a desert. Nothing but sand bottom. Artificial reefs provide habitat for a huge variety of sea life. They also provide some of the coolest diving opportunities to be found anywhere in the world. Dive the Spiegel Grove in Key Largo, or the Oriskaney right here in Pensacola. They are both amazing.

[Roy Stewart]

Sinking an old ship in the right place will provide diving reefs and marine habitats more cheaply, leave the surfing reef nonsense alone. We have a destroyed surf break due to an ASR reef, it's a scam.

.

[libby]

The north east has a proliferation of natural reefs so there is no need for an artificial one. As a fellow marine biologist I am aware of some of the benefits, but somewhere like the NE of England does not need one, leave it alone.

[flyingvee]

leave it alone.

these words say it all!!

[Sykes]

Sinking an old ship in the right place will provide diving reefs and marine habitats more cheaply, leave the surfing reef nonsense alone. We have a destroyed surf break due to an ASR reef, it's a scam.

.

Can't speak to surfing reefs, I've never heard of such a thing here in the States.

[Brent]

Fleshin heck, here we go again...

"The feasibility study for a fascinating world-first multi-purpose artificial reef is being undertaken by Wood Holmes Group.
The study is being led by Dr Craig Rose, on behalf of North Tyneside Council, and has been supported by a Sea Change grant.The reef would be somewhere off the North East English coast and designed to provide a range of functions including enhanced surfing, diving, sports fishing, commercial fishing, coastal protection, education and world class research.

Initially conceived by Dr Rose a number of years ago, the project is now attracting interest and has welcomed partnerships from academics in Newcastle University and the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

This initial stage will provide insights into the requirements and aspirations of all those with an interest in the reef project and develop the business case for the £1.5-2 million required investment.

Read Dr Rose's interview and more about the project in The Journal.

For further information, please visit www.reefnortheast.org or contact info@reefnortheast.org "

Why is it that no groups pondering artifical reefs have any dialogue with those already "affected"? There's currently a half-finished trail of destruction from Australia all the way to Bournmouth - yet they're always the "new black". For those groups stupid enought to end up with one of these things even being debated in their community - if you don't stand up & speak now you too can have a pile of half filled, half finished, erosion creating, waste litering your seafloor.

[Roy Stewart]

Hear hear.

When the Bournemouth people came to NZ on an ASR tour they were taken to Rotorua and wined and dined but showed no interest in contacting any of the Mount Maunganui locals whose contact details I gave them. Apparently they visited the Mount Reef site but unfortunately it wasn't working on the day. . . conditions not right . .

.

[phillwilson]

OOOOhh, man , here we go again !!!

I am a lazy sit on hands type, but I took a real interest of the reef carnage when it was in BOURNMOUTH .....which I have never surfed.

Now the idea of it coming to the North East...where I DO surf,

just one question,

where do I sign up to fight this arse, and where do i buy my handcuff and chains for the protest !!

[sinistapenguin]

We could build it out of poorly insulated radioactive waste cannisters and it could become home to multiple new and interesting forms of marine life?

[snowdog]

Sinking an old ship in the right place will provide diving reefs and marine habitats more cheaply, leave the surfing reef nonsense alone. We have a destroyed surf break due to an ASR reef, it's a scam.

.

As coincidence the north east(Hartlepool) has just got another ghost ship from france full of asbestos they can sink kill two birds with one stone so to speak

[tree4]

Sinking an old ship in the right place will provide diving reefs and marine habitats more cheaply, leave the surfing reef nonsense alone. We have a destroyed surf break due to an ASR reef, it's a scam.

.

As coincidence the north east(Hartlepool) has just got another ghost ship from france full of asbestos they can sink kill two birds with one stone so to speak

And keeping the asbestos wet would prevent the airborne medical problems. (Till it washed up on the beach and dried out)

[bmth.longboarder]

if its anything like our surf reef in bournemouth then they will do half the work and bugger off to india

[tree4]

Time to resurrect the anger , venom and general disbelief. Finished by August is the latest promise.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7925847.stm

[drowningbitbybit]

Finished by August is the latest promise.

This doesnt sound like a promise...

"We are confident, if we have an early start, to have the reef completed by August."

More of a vague intention.

[tree4]

Finished by August is the latest promise.

This doesnt sound like a promise...

"We are confident, if we have an early start, to have the reef completed by August."

More of a vague intention.

As I said ... "Time to resurrect the anger , venom and general disbelief"

[surf patrol]

Fleshin heck, here we go again...

"The feasibility study for a fascinating world-first multi-purpose artificial reef is being undertaken by Wood Holmes Group.
The study is being led by Dr Craig Rose, on behalf of North Tyneside Council, and has been supported by a Sea Change grant.The reef would be somewhere off the North East English coast and designed to provide a range of functions including enhanced surfing, diving, sports fishing, commercial fishing, coastal protection, education and world class research.

Initially conceived by Dr Rose a number of years ago, the project is now attracting interest and has welcomed partnerships from academics in Newcastle University and the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

This initial stage will provide insights into the requirements and aspirations of all those with an interest in the reef project and develop the business case for the £1.5-2 million required investment.

Read Dr Rose's interview and more about the project in The Journal.

For further information, please visit http://www.reefnortheast.org or contact info@reefnortheast.org "

Why is it that no groups pondering artifical reefs have any dialogue with those already "affected"? There's currently a half-finished trail of destruction from Australia all the way to Bournmouth - yet they're always the "new black". For those groups stupid enought to end up with one of these things even being debated in their community - if you don't stand up & speak now you too can have a pile of half filled, half finished, erosion creating, waste litering your seafloor.

Hi Brent,

Last yearSam George wrote to me asking about the Mount Maunganui artificial reef, and we corresponded at length on the subject.

In spite of the fact that he appeared to understand what I was saying about the Mount reef he still participated in this
'yeahguy' ASR reef hype fest over on surfermag. . . got to wonder where these people buried their integrity after it died don't you think ?