Surfing support for Tynemouth artificial barrier reef

Oct 22 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

THERE was a wave of support yesterday for plans to build an artificial reef off the North East coast.

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.

Newcastle-based marine scientist Dr Craig Rose, who has been working on the idea for five years, said yesterday: “The reef offers endless opportunities. The potential benefits for the region are huge.

“So many people could benefit and so many could contribute ideas for uses for the reef.”

The Journal reported yesterday how North Tyneside Council has been given £30,000 under the Government’s Sea Change grants programme to revitalise resorts, which will help fund a feasibility study into the reef and other projects.

And it emerged yesterday that the reef is part of a wider regeneration vision for the whole of the North Tyneside coastline from St Mary’s Island to North Shields Fish Quay – and now including Seaton Delaval Hall in adjacent Blyth Valley.

Dr Rose, 30, who lives in Gateshead and whose hobbies include surfing and diving, graduated in marine biology at Newcastle University and studied artificial reefs for his PhD. He paid particular attention to an artificial reef complex made from 175,000 concrete blocks which has just been completed at the sea Loch Linnhe in Scotland, which is now being monitored and researched.

Dr Rose set up S.E.A Consultants in 2005 and which earlier this year became part of the Wood Holmes Group strategic consultancy, of which Dr Rose is an associate director.

North Tyneside developed an interest in the reef after Dr Rose delivered a talk on the subject in the summer at a British Urban Regeneration Association conference. The feasibility study will take around four months with match funding boosting the research pot to £60,000. Uses for the reef could include:

:: 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.

The reef, sited around 100 metres off the shore, would cost £1.5m-£3m and would be built from materials like concrete blocks, sand bags or quarried rock.

Dr Rose is encouraging people to contact The Journal with their views – call (0191) 201-6224.