Old mesh used for 'rocky reef'

The steel mesh enclosing Woy Woy Tidal Swimming Pool has been replaced and will now be used to form the "nucleus of a rocky reef community" to enhance the popular fishing spot.

It was replaced when it was found to be colonised so heavily by marine organisms that water flow through the pool was restricted.

It was also found that the metal of the lower section of the fence, where a yellow sponge was prolific, had corroded away.

Gosford City Council Parks Manager, Mr Ian Rhodes, decided to replace the entire pool fence with non-corrosive plastic mesh.

Work to replace the mesh commenced on November 23.

Consultant marine biologist Dr John Laxton requested that the organism encrusted old mesh be laid on the sea bed outside, but adjacent to, Woy Woy tidal pool.

He said the heavily encrusted mesh would form the nucleus of a rocky reef community along the length of the pool enclosure.

Algae, sponges, barnacles, ascidians, starfish, hydroids and their predators would flourish in the strong tidal currents.

The reef community would provide habitat and food for many more species of fish than currently existed in the area of the pool and would enhance the area as a fishing spot.

The remaining steel of the old mesh would eventually corrode completely away due to the activity of the yellow encrusting sponges but the reef community would persist and gradually grow further out into the channel as occurred at the pipeline at Nelson Bay, Port Stephens.

At Nelson Bay, what was bare sand only 30 years ago, was now a rich and diverse sponge garden many hectares in area, he said.

December 13