Rock fishing life jackets: Central Coast Council opts in to mandatory law

CENTRAL Coast rock fishers could be fined for not wearing a life jacket after the safety devices were made compulsory by Central Coast Council last night - only the second council in the State to do so.

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POLICE, council rangers and national parks staff will have the option of fining rock fishers who do not wear life jackets after a decision by Central Coast council last night (Monday).

Central Coast Council will become only the second local government area in NSW to “opt in” to the Rock Fishing Safety Act which will make it compulsory for rock fishers to wear a life jacket in known high risk areas.

The Act was introduced in 2016 following recommendations from two Coronial inquiries and an 18 month trial was run in the Randwick Council area. After the success of this trial, other NSW councils were invited to opt in.

Rock fisherman at Avoca beach on the Central Coas not wearing a life jacket.

A report on the plan was tabled at Monday night’s meeting which said community education would be crucial including erecting signs. A grant of $30,000 has been provided to cover this cost.

The report also said it would be impossible for authorities to monitor every rock platform with current resources — and “high risk” locations would need to be identified and higher resources concentrated there.

One such area is likely to be notorious Snapper Rocks at Frazer Park where 21 people drowned in a 2km stretch of coastline since 2010, but other popular rock fishing spots at Terrigal, Avoca Beach and Winnie Bay could also be covered.

Council staff told councillors that the main focus would be on education with fines as a “last resort”. They also said it was likely that enforcement would be done at targeted times when fishing was popular and conditions were predicted to be hazardous.

Rock fishermen at notorious Snapper Point where many people have been swept to their deaths. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

There was strong debate about the plan during the meeting including Cr Troy Marquart who opposed the opt in describing it as another example of the “nanny state”

“We are just going to put another rule on people doing what they like to do,” he said.

Cr Bruce McLachlan cast doubt on council’s ability to enforce the law with just 15 rangers rostered over any given period.

“The rangers have only ever managed to get 15 fines for littering which is a massive problem and now we’re going to have them out on the rock platforms too,” he said.

Cr Greg Best, however, welcomed the change and said people accepted compulsory life jackets in boats.

The stretch of caost at Munmorah State Conservation Area is one of the most dangerous in NSW. Picture:Peter Clark

“We have the worst rock fishing death rate in NSW and we have some of the most dangerous locations,” Cr Best said.

“It’s horrific for the young lifesavers who have to drag the bodies out,” he said.

“Not one person wearing a life jacket has been dragged out of the water dead.”

Central Coast Surf Lifesaving has repeatedly backed the introduction of compulsory life jackets for rock fishing.