The project was given the green light by the Mepa board yesterday following a presentation by the same planning directorate. The idea behind the deployment of these reefs is to be able to collect data on how the reef affects different fish species and marine organisms. In certain parts of Italy the technique is used to attract certain fish colonies to the reefs as part of larger fish stock management plans.

One set of reefs will be for experimental purposes, which means that they will be monitored over a period of time. The second set will be used for comparisons with the experimental set.

The only artificial reefs in Malta so far have always been sunken vessels or other wrecks, usually used for tourism purposes. With these artificial reefs, a planning directorate official explained, the activity around the reefs could be monitored scientifically and compared with the control reefs and other natural formations.

The funds for the project come from money Portomaso developers gave the authority as part of their application conditions. “The Portomaso development inevitably impacted the marine environment of the area... we decided to use the money for this sort of research to counter this,” the Mepa official said.

The experimental reefs will be placed 800m east of Portomaso marina entrance, while the control reefs will be placed approximately 750m northeast of the Dragonara Point.

The reefs will be located at an average depth of 40m on a bare sandy seabed. The experimental reefs will be approximately 150m to the south of a

rocky boundary. Meadows of Poseidonia Oceanica are south and west of the experimental reefs and to the west of the

control reefs.

Anchoring will not be allowed in the areas where the reefs are placed and the Fisheries Department confirmed that it will impose a fishing ban in the area as well.

The reefs consist of five modular structures arranged in a pyramid – four units at the base and one on top of them. Each of these five units is constructed from six reef blocks measuring 61cm x 92cm x 244cm long. The reef unit will then be contracted from 6 reef blocks positioned in two layers of three blocks each.

There will be no spaces between the reef blocks, however the reef units will have holes and cavities designed to attract fish and other marine organisms. The sets will consist of an experimental concrete modular and an identical globigerina limestone module used as controls for the experiment.