Report Reveals Deadliest Nsw Rock Fishing Sites
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday September 23, 2003
A WATER safety taskforce has identified rock fishing sites at Port Kembla, Jervis Bay and the Royal National Park as being among the state's most deadly.
A report, commissioned by the NSW Government Water Safety Taskforce and presented at yesterday's National Water Safety Conference at Bondi, found three of the state's eight black spots were on the South Coast.
Research also showed that the eight areas represented 54 per cent of rock fishing fatalities.
There have been 74 rock fishing fatalities in NSW between 1992 and 2000, 95 per cent were males.
The majority of anglers killed while rock fishing did not use safety equipment.
The taskforce report - a collation of coronial data - has sparked a campaign to reduce the number of rock fishing fatalities.
Australians from Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese backgrounds will be targeted.
In April 2002 Seven Hills fisherman Kang Suk Lee was swept to his death off Honeycomb rocks at Port Kembla.
An angel ring, usually located just metres from where the 52-year-old BHP worker fell into the water, was missing. Friends threw the struggling fisherman a bucket in an attempt to keep him afloat.
A coronial inquest found his body had drifted for 10 days before being swallowed by a large tiger shark.
The taskforce found those from Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese backgrounds represent 49 per cent of fatalities.
NSW Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation Sandra Nori said key findings of the taskforce were discussed with fishing groups and rock fishers.
``The groups agreed that targeted education campaigns were a priority to help tackle the issue," Ms Nori said.
She said a number of initiatives were under way to improve safety.
These included:
* More than 40,000 rock fishing brochures with information about the correct protective clothing, footwear and safety gear.
* Translated safety information distributed to the Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese communities.
* Piloting a rock fishing safety seminar in the Chinese community.
* A survey of rock fishers about common practices.
The task force also was investigating a rock fishing weather warning system and a voluntary code of practice.
Key findings of Water Safety taskforce:
* The report identified eight problem rock fishing areas in NSW - Jervis Bay, Port Kembla, the Royal National Park, Cape Banks at La Perouse, Little Bay at Manly, Avoca and Munmorah State Recreation Area.
* The eight black spots represented 54 per cent of the rock fishing fatalities in this taskforce study.
* Of the 74 rock fishermen who died in NSW during the study between 1992 and 2000, none used flotation aids.
* At least 88 per cent of incidents involved Australian residents.
* The majority of victims of rock fishing fatalities were born outside of Australia (69 per cent).
* About 80 per cent of the time the deceased was conscious and able to stay afloat for some time before going under water.
* 70 per cent of fatalities occurred during rough and very rough conditions, while 11 per cent occurred during calm conditions, highlighting that a calm sea does not guarantee safe fishing.
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury
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