Rock Fishing and Compulsory Life Jackets
Posted by Meggs | Fishing and Boating Posts | Posted on May 15th, 2010
Greetings all,
It was yet another rock fishing tragedy last week at NSW’s Catherine Hill Bay with five people being swept to their deaths off Flat Rock. This is a narrow piece of rock area that juts out to sea for about 700 metres and is therefore exposed to elements from all sides.
I can’t say that I’ve visited this spot but apparently a life ring was deployed at the scene.
I’ve blogged before about the dangers of rockfishing and have even compared shark attacks statistics with deaths from the sport – see Real Fishos Fear Rocks not Sharks. Apparently the incident at Flat Rock was the ninth reported there in less than two years. My heart goes out to the families involved and regardless of your point of view about the suitability of the conditions and the choice the victims made that day to fish there it remains an absolute tragedy.
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So the question to ask is how do we stop the next rock fishing incident? Check out this bloke who defends his actions because he has fished the spot since the age of 12…
As one unedited fisho on YouTube put it…
“risking ur life for a piddley little luderick…? MATE WE BAG OUT ON THEM UP TO 45CM IN THE RIVER…. Thats crazy. I can see another vietnamese fisherman from my area losing his life chasing a chopper tailor in rubber thongs? after watching such clips.”
Anyway, back to some positive news – so called Angel Rings (see www.angelrings.com.au) have been installed at popular rock fishing spots along the coast of NSW and these have been a great innovation and a wonderful initiative to try and make the sport safer.
Rock cleats have been popular amongst rock fisherman for some time. These give the fisherman better grip on moss and weed covered rock and also a bit more balance when struck by swell. I would never advocate fencing off the Australian coastline to protect people from themselves but the suggestion to introduce compulsory life jackets for rock fisherman in my mind is worthwhile considering.
Boaties have been wearing life jackets when navigating dangerous bar crossings for years and I don’t believe that it would be a huge impost to rock fisherman to do the same. Respect for the sea and ocean should be one of the first lessons any rock fisherman learns. I’m sure they could be worn in such a way as to offer little impediment to fishing activities.
I’m pretty sure that these people lost at Catherine Hill Bay may have stood a better chance if they were equipped with a personal flotation device. It may even save the so called experts who have fished spots since the age of 12!
Thoughts?
Sea you later,
Skipper Meggs