Life jackets are not the only thing needed to keep rock fishers in the Illawarra safe, an expert says.
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As the rock fishing death toll rises to 13 and calls mount for life jackets to be made compulsory, Balgownie rock fisher Spyros Vassiliades said there's a lack of safety education training, especially in languages other than English.
"A life jacket is not the be-all-and-end-all of rock fish and safety," he said.
"They have been described by many as just like seatbelts, and just like seatbelts, they are only part of the solution.
"It's great to have it, but you're better off not getting into an accident in the first place."
Weather and swell conditions can change quickly and he fears if people have travelled to the Illawarra to fish and then conditions are not suitable, that they'll still fish because "they're here now".
"It's not just about checking the weather on the news, it's about knowing which sites give you the right amount of information," he said.
He urged rock fishers to use Surf Forecast or Seabreeze.
Mr Vassiliades delivers rock fishing safety training for NSW Surf Life Saving, and said the lessons save lives, but admits there's no more courses available for the rest of 2023.
Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW's Malcolm Poole agrees the lack of safety and education training, in particular for non-English speaking communities, is absolutely a factor in why rock fishers are dying.
"People need to understand their level of personal safety, understand their level of water safety skills," he said.
People need to understand their level of personal safety, understand their level of water safety skills.
- Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW recreational fishing safety officer Malcolm Poole
Mr Poole, who is the recreational fishing safety officer for the Alliance, called on the state government to provide ongoing funding for education and training to help rock fishers stay safe and read the conditions around them correctly.
The ability for councils to opt-in to NSW Government legislation to mandate life jackets is confusing for rock fishers, he said.
Wollongong council opted-in to the legislation in November 2022, Shellharbour and Kiama councils have not.
He said some councils have "sat back on their hands waiting to see what happens".
Mr Poole further accused the state government of bringing in legislation, and then not helping councils fund compliance.
"Going and trying to buy a life jacket in a retail outlet is a minefield because the retail staff don't even know what is an appropriate life jacket to meet that person's needs or their water safety skill ability," he said.
Mr Vassiliades said a lack of appropriate rock fishing locations in the Illawarra has compounded safety issues.
"The Illawarra has lost a significant amount of safe oceanic fishing locations," he said.
Prior to 2019 Port Kembla's northern breakwall was open 24 hours-a-day, now access is restricted due to extended works, while the southern breakwall is day access only.
"Options to fish in a southerly swell have been severely limited," he said.
"The previous government has put the economic development of the companies that use that port ahead of the people of NSW and the people of the Illawarra, as well as greater Sydney, who have been losing their lives have paid for it."
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Nadine Morton
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
