Feeling their access to ocean fishing is being restricted, fishermen are exploring the possibility of establishing artificial reefs to create their own fertile fishing grounds.

In recent months, recreational fishermen have been testing the waters of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary staff to see if they'd be receptive to artificial reefs in the sanctuary, with the hope of increasing fish populations.

"Recreational anglers are keenly interested in artificial reefs," said David Bacon, a member of the sanctuary advisory council and a fisherman who has proposed the idea of reefs.

Covers 1,250-mile area

While there is no proposal to build a reef on the ocean floor, Bacon said, he wants to see how it would be received. The sanctuary is a more than 1,250-square-mile area around the Channel Islands that is set aside to protect resources within it. Various fishing restrictions exist inside the sanctuary, ranging from open to fishing, to no fishing allowed.

"At some point, some day, someone may present a proposal, and I would like the sanctuary staff to have an open mind about it," he said.

Artificial reefs are not a new idea to California. About 30 of the reefs exist off the coast, mainly as mitigation measures. One is off San Onofre, where a nuclear power plant was built, and another in the San Diego Harbor, which was established to offset dredging there.

In the 1950s, a number of vehicles and trolley cars were dumped into the Santa Monica Bay as artificial reefs, which drew scores of fish but eventually corroded.

Some fake reefs function well

Since then, other methods have been developed that last longer and are more effective. Artificial reefs are now often made of concrete or rock dumped into the ocean. The hard surfaces offer a habitat where plants and marine life can establish a food chain.

The better ones have lots of holes and crannies for fish to hide in, said John Ugoretz, marine habitat conservation manager for the California Department of Fish and Game.

"They seem to function as a natural reef," he said.

The department used to have staff dedicated to exploring new locations for artificial reefs, but with shrinking budgets, the team was disbanded. These days there is a renewed interest in creating the reefs. Ugoretz said a staff may be dedicated to it again.

The state and federal government have policies on establishing artificial reefs. The sanctuary also has a plan on how to handle artificial reefs, but it poses a unique set of challenges, said Sanctuary Manager Chris Mobley.

The evaluation of any new reefs would weigh whether they enhance the natural system. The seabed around the islands already has plenty of natural reefs, many of which aren't fully stocked with fish, he said.

"Given that we already have an abundance of natural reefs out there, our priority would be restoring those," he said.

UC Santa Barbara fish researcher Milton Love said the effectiveness of artificial reefs hasn't been proven. Their success depends on myriad factors, including where they are placed, how deep the water is and how big the reef is.

All those factors play into the debate of whether artificial reefs help create new fish by providing new habitat, or merely spread existing populations around a greater area.

"I guess the short answer is that the jury is out," he said.