Reefs were planned off the coasts of Swansea, Sydney and Wollongong to improve recreational fishing.

But the government will build the first reef off The Gap near Vaucluse and delay a planned reef off Swansea for at least three years.

Liberal candidate for Swansea Garry Edwards said the decision would disappoint fishers, who were looking forward to the reef.

‘‘This is another example of the Labor government’s Sydney-centric attitude,’’ Cr Edwards said.

Valentine resident Andrew Foote, who made a submission to the government about the plan, said the Swansea reef should be the first reef.

‘‘Sydney already has plenty of reefs,’’ Mr Foote said.

The Swansea plan included four 12metre high reefs made of steel on the seabed at a depth of 28metres, 3.6kilometres off Swansea Channel.

The NSW Department of Industry and Investment, which proposed the reefs, said the Sydney location had been selected for the first reef.

Reefs at Wollongong and Newcastle would be ‘‘dependent on the success of the Sydney reef,’’ a department report said.

The Sydney reef, to be deployed 1.2 kilometres off The Gap, would be tested for three years.

An analysis was done to determine which of the three locations would be selected for the first reef.

The report said the Sydney location was considered to be ‘‘the most suitable site’’.

The Sydney location ranked highest when considering ‘‘accessibility, fishing participation, number of anglers, logistics (construction, transport and deployment), habitat limitations and conflict with commercial fishing’’.

A submission from the Nature Conservation Council said artificial reefs could lead to over-fishing and posed risks to threatened and protected species from marine debris and pollution.

The Department of Planning is completing its assessment of the reef plan.