PFD's Could Become Compulsory for all Rock Fisho's

[proline]

Not a bad idea if you ask me...

From the Daily Telegraph website today, written by Neil Keene. Original article here.

ROCK fishermen could be forced to wear personal flotation devices following the deaths of 12 anglers along the NSW coast.

Findings were handed down this morning from a coronial inquest into all 12 deaths, which occurred in separate incidents in Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast in 2009 and 2010.

Coroner Mark Buscombe said that while the deaths occurred separately, all shared several common factors.

All of the people who drowned were from non-Anglo backgrounds, none of them wore life-jackets and most occurred at night when visibility was poor and sea conditions were “particularly dangerous”.

Mr Buscombe said the Department of Primary Industries needed to consider whether personal flotation devices should be made compulsory for rock fishermen.

He also recommended a consideration for extra funding for Surf Life Saving NSW and other organisations for rock fishing safety campaigns, especially for people from a non-Anglo background.

Councils should also consider expediting the erection of warning signs and the installation of life rings in high-risk areas, Mr Buscombe said.

The 12 anglers whose deaths prompted the inquest included husband and wife Po and Yuet Poon, their son Dillon and their friends Dennis and Jenny Tin, Hong Kong emigrants who all died in May last year during a fishing trip to a spot known as Flat Rock near Catherine Hill Bay.

Yong Jin Jo, 66, from Korea, died several days earlier at a fishing spot at nearby Snapper Point.

Zimbabwe national Langton Mali died in February, 2010, after being washed off rocks at Avoca Beach on the Central Coast, while Cook Islander John Pitomaki, 44, drowned in May, 2009, during a fishing trip to Little Bay Beach in Sydney.

Wan Uk Lee, 71, from Korea, died in March, 2009, after being swept off rocks near Port Kembla. Indonesian native Han Fie Tjoe, 43, also died during a rock fishing expedition in the same area the following month.

Heeki Kim, 41, drowned in May, 2010, during a rockfishing trip to Kiama.

Edited August 11, 2011 by proline

[boattart]

You're quick. I just found the same story and logged on to print it myself. Makes a lot of sense to me.

[bennoz]

i kinda agree - its not a big inconvenience to buy a life vest and wear it.

promote their sale when you renew your fishing license - or better yet provide a discount on the cost of a yearly license when the angler has a vest.

bloody sad, more so when a whole family gets wiped out in one go !!!

[Geoff]

PFD's should be compulsery , especially in those locations considered most dangerous along with the locations where the 12 died.

Signs also need to be erected with messages ,

Persons fishing past this point must wear a PFD1 life jacket. Penalty , $150.00

Policing those areas for complience could be a problem but at least something has been done

Geoff

[Piss'n'Broke]

I agree 100%! A good self inflating PFD does not impede your movements or reflexs! Spend the money like you would on fishing gear and get a good quality PFD.

Dan

[matt84]

so does that mean if im gonna walk along those rocks without a fishing rod i wont need a life jacket and i wont drown?

how stupid are they. i've seen heaps of people go in in the drink that were just sight seeing. have the determined all the people who drowned were fishing and had a rod in their hand or were they just watching there partner fish?

Persons fishing past this point must wear a PFD1 life jacket. Penalty , $150.00

but if you don't have a rod come on down?

I was at Catherine Hill Bay the after noon those people went in at the exact spot they went in, i didn't fish it for long the sea was building and waves were starting to come over the ledge so i packed up and went home. common sense would have kicked in for most people and they would have taken one look and turned around also. im sorry but stupidity never ends well.

sorry for the rant, but life jackets might save some that go in (not guaranteed), but it doesn't stop them going in the drink in the first place which is the problem.

[abecedarian]

You've hit the nail on the head Matt, life jackets are a good idea and I personally use one but they won't offset stupidity. All of the people who died were fishing conditions that were not safe and unfortunately they paid the price. Education is definitely the key, along with signage at dangerous spots warning of the dangers in multiple languages with info on when conditions are safe and are not. Just my two cents worth...

[matt84]

they have a free rock safety dvd they could even do a mail out for everyone with a fishing license, no excuses then.

[davido]

I can sort of relate with internationals coming to australia for a holiday/study and go for a swim at the beach. But Im just pointing that out due to the victims in the article and their background.

Edited August 11, 2011 by davido

[luderick -angler]

All valid points but I have said it before and will and say again A PFD is only good if you can activate it if it is the inflatable type then wearing a life jacket you go in they can inhibit swimming away from the danger zone. Its afact always will be someone sadly is going to die rock fishing or sightseeing on a rock ledge especially if they are not adept atreading the water thebiggest thing that can be done is get education officers into the community get them to the tackle stores put notices up and have a series of nights at the local hall I know of one Korean community and the tackle shop nearby that would gladly do this and word of mouth will spread the safety message!

The issue with this law is how many will flaunt it? Not everyone is of the mind oh its a few dollars to save my life theye think I'd rather keep it in my pocket for a few beers is thier attitude!!! If I have to I'll buy one grudgingly but hey a law is a law!

[bennoz]

how does that saying go:

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."