The £1.4 million reef is to be built along Boscombe seafront in Dorset, in a bid to attract up to 10,000 surfers each year to the seaside town.

Sand-filled geotextile bags will be submerged east of Boscombe pier to create waves up to 13 feet high and double the number of good surfing days to more than 150 each year.

But fishermen have objected to the plans, which aimed to put Boscombe on the map as a surfing resort.

Southern Sea Fisheries has made representations to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about its fears over fish stocks and the environmental effects on the area.

Bournemouth Borough Council said that the reef will have, at worse, a neutral effect on the environment and marine life is likely to thrive on the reef, with no damage caused to the beach.

Cllr Stanley-Watts said earlier that the fishermen's fears about the reef were "unfounded".

He added: "I don't think it will drive fish away but think it will attract marine life and be colonised by crabs and molluscs.

"Fish will be attracted to it. I think those fears are groundless. "Fingers crossed, it will get sorted out. It's an integral part of the regeneration plans of the seafront."

The reef was due to be installed between May and August and ready to use by September this year.

But delays in Defra granting the scheme a license mean work cannot begin until this winter and it will not be ready to use until next spring at the earliest - six months behind schedule.

The reef is part of an £8 million surfing-themed regeneration project, the Boscombe Spa Village scheme.

There are already artificial surf reefs in Australia and New Zealand, with a third being built in America, but the Boscombe reef will be the first in Europe and the northern hemisphere.

The sand bags are tough, up to 100 feet in length and will create a surf reef of around two-and-a-half acres, 245 yards offshore.

It will give surfers a 71-yard ride with waves from one-and-a-half to 13 feet high.

Council bosses hope the project will create around 60 full-time and 30 part-time jobs with the extra demand for surf equipment, training, accommodation, food, drink and entertainment.

They say the reef will also help regenerate Boscombe and its leisure industry and may help with coastal defences.

Roger Brown, head of Leisure Services at the council, said: "Meaningful progress was made during our meeting with the MFA (Marine and Fisheries Agency).

"We are working hard to provide the Agency with the outstanding information needed and still hope to start construction this winter, subject to favourable weather conditions.

"I am confident that we can satisfactorily address the outstanding issues and that the surf reef project can then progress, to enable Bournemouth to become one of the prime surfing destinations in the UK."

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