More than 100 rock fishers have walked away better educated in how to stay safe after Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) conducted its popular rock fishing safety program, Gone Fishing, at Avoca Beach on November 20.
Around 300 people altogether, including the fishers and their families, learned about vital safety measures and skill-building techniques specific to the popular but often deadly pastime from experts, including Maritime NSW, Marine Rescue and the Department of Primary Industries.
Sessions included how to prepare for a day of fishing, how to pick a safe location, what safety gear to bring, how to assess the conditions and what to do if they get washed into the surf, among other crucial safety tools.
In NSW from July 2021 to June 2022, 11 people lost their lives while rock fishing.
“It was a good day, nice day,” one attendee said.
“The places I’ve been going lately have been not too safe and I’m turning around and going home because it’s not worth it, it’s not worth my life, so I thought I’d come here to learn a bit more.”
Another said there was always something else to learn.
“It’s really important to brush up on your knowledge,” he said.
“No fish is worth your life, we want to always get back home to our family and kids.”
SLSNSW Community Education Manager, Julia Kiss, said information is current and tailored to regional conditions.
“We’ve had really great feedback that participants are learning things that they just weren’t aware of,” she said.
“They feel like they’re getting real knowledge from real rock fishers which really gets the message across.”
Member for Terrigal and Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, met with participants and said it was fantastic that all the participants were taking home a free, properly fitted life jacket that will help save lives along the Coast.
“We know that rock fishing is a very popular sport but at the same time, one of the most dangerous in the world,” he said.
“It’s great to see people of all ages here and at the end of it, they get a life jacket that will keep them safe.”
With the support of the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries, Surf Life Saving NSW will host a minimum of 10 coastal and 10 in-community workshops aimed specifically at multicultural and at-risk groups, including 1,000 free lifejackets and crucial lifejacket-fitting advice from experts.
Source:
Media release, Nov 21
Surf Life Saving NSW