I have known and worked with Lloyd for several years now in the area of seabed enhancement.

Lloyd's passion and commitment to environmental enhancement, particularly of the marine environment, is a certainty. Lloyd is exercising the ethic of stewardship or Kaitiaki on a daily basis. Lloyd holds a coastal permit under the RMA, which provides for seabed enhancement over a 1 square nautical mile area, approx 1.5km of the Opotiki shoreline - the Opotiki Community Reef. Lloyd's operation provides a rear opportunity for people to make a hands on and "real" contribution to the enhancement of habitat values of the seabed, reaping the rewards in bin loads of fresh fish. As a coastal specialist I have no doubt that Lloyd's enhancement of the seabed, in an area devoid of structure, will provide habitat and food for fish species normally found further offshore in deeper water or around natural reef structure. I also suspect the Opotiki Community Reef area will act to "hold" pelagic and/or seasonal fish species that may normally seek alternative feeding grounds at certain times.

In regard to the fishing, well I should say it's crap so I get more time on the water - but it's red hot. The bio-enhancing materials deployed attract fish almost immediately, with excellent results in regard to time for first fish, size and number of fish and desired species - no berley required. Also of note is the presence of whelks in the reef area (caught in a set net)whereas there were none present in the control area (approx 5km away same depth same bottom structure). I consider this is due to creating available habitat for settlement and will only leed to enhancement of the food chain in the Community Reef area and more fish.

Lloyd is a member of the local CoastGuard and runs a safe and tight ship. If you wanted to be a part of a real and "hands on" example of what we can do to improve our marine environment, give Lloyd a call.

Reviewed over 15 years ago