paulthetaffy Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 We've covered the news of the recent tragic loss of rock fisherman in another thread and this opened a debate on whether life jackets should be worn by rock hoppers, and if so are they even useful. Rex Hunt has just been on Triple M in Sydney preaching that it should be made law that life jackets should be worn by rock fisherman. So do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreamChaser Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 It is a tradgady and very sad time for those invloved. Whilst rock fishing is the most dangerous sport in Oz everything we do in life carries dangar. Its a timely reminder that we all need to be careful and a reminder of the power of the sea. I believe people need to make there own decisions around the risks associated and make their own decision about what precautions to take. Anyway thats my 2 cents. Once again i pass on my condolences to anyway linked to the recent tradgedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rzep Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Yes this is a tragedy and one that can be avoided if the right precautions are put in place. Maybe life jackets should be made mandatory to help to prevent this this type of accident happening. If the correct safety equipment was used then this could have been avoided... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickster Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 I'm more worried that people who probably shouldn't be fishing off the rocks (sorry if that sounds a bit harsh) would feel over confident just because they're wearing a life jacket and take risks they shouldn't. I still compare it to driving a car and saying "I reckon I'm OK to drive faster because I've got airbags and wearing a seatbelt" Think about it. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hatte Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 life jackets wont save lives, common sense and understanding the environment that you are fishing in will ensure you return home. Sorry if its a bit harsh, but come on guys do you honestly think the people are going to be better off wearing jackets. The people who are loosing there lives have no or little understanding of what they are doing or the environment in which they are putting themselves in. Educating people is the only way lives are going to be saved on our ocean rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 There have been far too many casualties among rock fishermen, women and children in the past. I strongly believe that the wearing of life jackets should be made compulsory for people fishing off the rocks as if they happened to slip or be washed into the water by a wave they would be at least in some sort of a position to make their way further away from the shore until some form of help arrived...i.e. instead of panicking and being constantly bashed against the rocks in a futile effort to climb to safety. It should also be made compulsory that rock fishermen women, and children wear some form of waterproof emergency lighting...the life jackets should be specially designed and designated to rock fishing, should also have in built waterproof lighting as well as containing sections luminous material.... Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Look I feel for the family left behind. But that is not going to save other peoples lives. They will go to a bad spot and check on the waves to see if they break. which is a complete waste of time,if they don't know what they are looking at,or what they are looking for.there are so many things to take in consideration. why the hell do they take kids onto rocks. I have spent all my life around the ocean and you still need eyes in the back of your head,the sea is very un forgiving.my opinion its just a no brainer, if you are not experienced at rock hopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anroco Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 There have been far too many casualties among rock fishermen, women and children in the past. I strongly believe that the wearing of life jackets should be made compulsory for people fishing off the rocks as if they happened to slip or be washed into the water by a wave they would be at least in some sort of a position to make their way further away from the shore until some form of help arrived...i.e. instead of panicking and being constantly bashed against the rocks in a futile effort to climb to safety. It should also be made compulsory that rock fishermen women, and children wear some form of waterproof emergency lighting...the life jackets should be specially designed and designated to rock fishing, should also have in built waterproof lighting as well as containing sections luminous material.... Cheers jewgaffer Couldn't have said it better myself!!! CHeeRS Antun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SWEENEY Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Life jackets or none these people were supposed to experienced rock fisherman,alas none of them knew how to swim, hullo.Cheers Laurie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating_Medic Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 There have been far too many casualties among rock fishermen, women and children in the past. I strongly believe that the wearing of life jackets should be made compulsory for people fishing off the rocks as if they happened to slip or be washed into the water by a wave they would be at least in some sort of a position to make their way further away from the shore until some form of help arrived...i.e. instead of panicking and being constantly bashed against the rocks in a futile effort to climb to safety. It should also be made compulsory that rock fishermen women, and children wear some form of waterproof emergency lighting...the life jackets should be specially designed and designated to rock fishing, should also have in built waterproof lighting as well as containing sections luminous material.... Cheers jewgaffer X 2. I see it like this, there are soldiers in Afghanistan that are told to wear body armour, which is heavy and uncomfortable, whether you are frontline or not, you wear body armour. Whether you are a young soldier or an experienced VC winner like Tpr Donaldson, you wear body armour. No amount of experience will protect you from that stray shot or peice of shrapnel, but body armour might. Life jackets can be seen as rock fisherman body armour, you may never ever need it in your 35 or whatever years of rock fishing, but that one time you do need it and you dont have it on cause it was uncomfortable ect. What then? Make it compulsory i say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 if they happened to slip or be washed into the water by a wave they would be at least in some sort of a position to make their way further away from the shore until some form of help arrived...i.e. instead of panicking and being constantly bashed against the rocks in a futile effort to climb to safety. Cheers jewgaffer I think what I have quoted in your post is the most important thing Byron. If people that fish the rocks do not understand the ocean & it's dangers then how do you educate people wearing lifejackets to swim AWAY from the rocks when, not being able to swim, their 1st instinct would be to get straight back to shore asap? Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt84 Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 hit your head on the way in and a life jacket ain't gonna help much, still need to swim out from the rocks to avoid getting bashed around. If you think you need a life jacket then obviously its too rough to be fishing that spot, and if you can't swim you shouldn't be fishing off the rocks anyway, a bit of commonsense is needed. I fished the same Catho area were the car was found on sat arvo, swell was up then with a swell direction that was wiping out normally safe rocks, and swell was building, i could of told you it wasn't a smart idea to fish the area of a night time as could most well experienced rock fishos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steze Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 My dad told me today someone got washed out again rock fishing around the Manly area. Fortunately he was rescued and wasn't injured. To be honest there have been so many incidents occuring this year in comparison to the previous years. Does everyone agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hatte Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 How are you going to make it compulsory for people to wear life jackets when rock fishing????? Who's going to police it????? Will people get fined for not wearing one????? Is it a jailable offence for repeated offeners!!!!!!! Life jackets are compulsory for boaties when crossing bars ar'nt they. Then why are we still getting deaths all over australia from people crossing ocean bars? Its not the local guys that know the effects that wind,tides and current have on river mouths and bars that are dying, its the holiday marker taking out friends and family out into conditions that they know very little about, they are the people that sadly loose there lives. Same things apply with rock fishermen!!!!!! Andrew Ettinghausen Brought out a great instuction video on rock fishing safety a few years ago. It came free with a fishing magazine and i know we got handed multiple copies handed to our fishing club for us to hand out to people that were new to the spot of fishing. Why cant the australian government make a mutlilanguage instuctional dvd on rockfishing safety that can be given out for free at tackle stores? Start educating newbees to the sport of rock fishing insted of bringing in more laws and regulations that are absolutly rediculous. Yes jackets will help you float if you do end up in the drink but its definatly not the answer to stop the tragic loss of lives that occur on our rocks every year.... Regards, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 How are you going to make it compulsory for people to wear life jackets when rock fishing????? Who's going to police it????? Will people get fined for not wearing one????? Is it a jailable offence for repeated offeners!!!!!!! Life jackets are compulsory for boaties when crossing bars ar'nt they. Then why are we still getting deaths all over australia from people crossing ocean bars? Its not the local guys that know the effects that wind,tides and current have on river mouths and bars that are dying, its the holiday marker taking out friends and family out into conditions that they know very little about, they are the people that sadly loose there lives. Same things apply with rock fishermen!!!!!! Andrew Ettinghausen Brought out a great instuction video on rock fishing safety a few years ago. It came free with a fishing magazine and i know we got handed multiple copies handed to our fishing club for us to hand out to people that were new to the spot of fishing. Why cant the australian government make a mutlilanguage instuctional dvd on rockfishing safety that can be given out for free at tackle stores? Start educating newbees to the sport of rock fishing insted of bringing in more laws and regulations that are absolutly rediculous. Yes jackets will help you float if you do end up in the drink but its definatly not the answer to stop the tragic loss of lives that occur on our rocks every year.... Regards, Michael The govt has done a lot of work around safe fishing/boating/swimming. CLICK HERE FOR SAFE WATERS SITE Please have a look at the video footage I have put up on fishraider FISHTUBE. Most tacklos will hand out the brochures and dvds in multi lingual text for free. There was also the angel ring project. We have copies of this dvd and usually hand out at our socials to people who want it. Rockfishing fact sheet 1.pdf Freshwater fact sheet.pdf 2008_Rock_fishing_safety.pdf Boat fishing fact sheet.pdf mrsswordfisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hatte Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 The govt has done a lot of work around safe fishing/boating/swimming. CLICK HERE FOR SAFE WATERS SITE Please have a look at the video footage I have put up on fishraider FISHTUBE. Most tacklos will hand out the brochures and dvds in multi lingual text for free. There was also the angel ring project. We have copies of this dvd and usually hand out at our socials to people who want it. Rockfishing fact sheet 1.pdf Freshwater fact sheet.pdf 2008_Rock_fishing_safety.pdf Boat fishing fact sheet.pdf mrsswordfisherman Thats absolutly perfect Donna And the footage on fish tube is what we need more of!!!! Being one of the most popular fishing website around you should devote a page to rock fishing safety. Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Thats absolutly perfect Donna And the footage on fish tube is what we need more of!!!! Being one of the most popular fishing website around you should devote a page to rock fishing safety. Cheers, Michael Thanks Michael - we do try to be very resonsive to these sort of important issues If anyone has any other video footage that they would like on our fishtube please send me a link mrsswordie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGF Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 personally i think cleats should be mandatory, life jackets for none strong swimmers and night fishing i see people all the time bare foot going right up to the rock ledge at avoca who have 0 experiance on the rocks and fall flat on their arse and are lucky they dont go into the drink! and what do they do ? get up and try get to the ledge again!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulthetaffy Posted May 12, 2010 Author Share Posted May 12, 2010 Thanks everyone for your posts and for voting. My intention by starting the poll was to provoke some thought on the subject and to raise awareness of the dangers and the safety measures that we can employ, which is exactly what has happened. Hopefully this thread will be found in future by people new to the sport so they can see pro's and con's of wearing a PFD and make a decision for themselves. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humesy Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Tragic situation. I am assuming that it was a situation where someone went in and the rescuers ended up in just as much trouble as the rescuee. I strongly think that lifejackets should not be compulsory. Apart from the fact that it is pretty much not enforcable, rock fishing is an individual sport/pastime where its participants take their own risks based on their own choices. I compare it with climbing and mountaineering which was my sport during my 20's. I accumulated experience gradually over a number of years that enabled me to attempt increasingly challenging climbs, based on a strong understanding of the related risks. This to me was the essence of the enjoyment of the sport. The risks my climbing partners and I took were our own. We wore helmets and roped up on the occasions when we knew we should. We moved unroped when we knew we could. The thought of someone telling me when I should adhere to a mandatory practice, because of a law and as a result of accidents to uniformed/foolhardy participants would be totally abhorent to the nature of an outdoor sport. As with fishing, there were often (and no doubt still are) climbing accidents involving inexperienced climbers. Without wanting to make race too much of an issue, the Koreans were notorious for getting into strife on Denali in Alaska. Having said that, the Korean crew I saw at Shark Point in Clovelly were all decked out in cleats and inflatable emergency jackets which I thought was very impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts