Anglers ‘put swimmers in danger’ by fishing in Eastern Beach closure

Eastern Beach swimmers say they are being put in danger by people illegally fishing inside an enclosure, with a confrontation over the issue caught on camera. SEE THE FOOTAGE

Fishermen pictured flouting the rules at the Eastern Beach swimming enclosure.

Eastern Beach swimmers say they are being put in danger by people illegally fishing inside an enclosure, with a confrontation over the issue caught on camera.

Jenny Clark, who has been swimming at Eastern Beach for about 25 years, said the problem has been escalating for two months.

“There have been 20 to 40 people fishing in the enclosure on the weekends between 5am and 7am,” she said.

“There are signs that say ‘no fishing’ but people don’t read them.

“They leave behind so much wire and hooks.”

Wire left behind by fishermen at the enclosure and collected by swimmers.

Fishing wire and hooks collected by the swimmers.

Ms Clark, 75, said she was caught up in the fishing wire while swimming on August 8.

“It was around my arms and neck, I was so entangled,” she said.

“I was treading water for 10 minutes, lucky I’m a strong swimmer.

Ms Clark said fishermen cast their lines into the water but their hooks got stuck on the wooden platform in the centre.

No fishing signs at Eastern Beach. Picture: Alison Wynd

“They cut their lines and it’s left floating in the water,” she said.

An altercation between Ms Clark and a fisherman was filmed on August 17 and posted to TikTok.

The video had garnered more than 300,000 views and 747 comments as of Monday afternoon.

In the footage, Ms Clark confronts the fisherman, telling him it’s not allowed.

The fisherman said he “was having a quick flick” and that he was avoiding them because he knew they were swimming there.

Ms Clark said she saw seven people fishing inside the enclosure on Saturday morning and couldn’t swim there.

She said the swimming group would consider taking their morning dip closer to Wangim Walk if the issue was not addressed.

City of Greater Geelong executive directory city life Anthony Basford said patrols had increased over the past fortnight in line with community complaints, and existing signage would also be increased at the site.

“Fishing in the Eastern Beach swimming enclosure is strictly prohibited,” he said.

“There is significant signage around the enclosure to advise the public of this.

“Our officers conduct regular patrols of this area, both during and after business hours, and

officers educate people who are fishing in the area to achieve voluntary compliance, before

taking any enforcement action.”

John Uzelac, who has been swimming at Eastern Beach for about four years, was also tangled in fishing wire last week.

Fishing wire tied onto the ladder at the enclosure on Saturday.

“It was an unsettling situation,” he said.

“I came out of the water with the wire around my shoulders and body.

“I probably reeled in 20 to 30m of fishing line.”

Mr Uzelac said someone had tied fishing wire across one of the ladders at the promenade on Saturday.

“That was very dangerous,” he said.

“We swim mostly prior to daylight … if these things are there, we are in real danger and we don’t know about it.

“It looked like a deliberate act.”

Originally published as Anglers ‘put swimmers in danger’ by fishing in Eastern Beach closure