Water Safety !

The law today is very tough on boat users. There is the expectation that a water police patrol boat may come alongside  and the officers will ensure that everybody has a life jacket and that the boat carries the required safety equipment. The same restrictions on alcohol apply to those in charge of a boat that are enforced on car drivers.  Testing for alcohol or drugs is mandatory under this law.

Despite this, people still get in trouble on the water and when that happens a well oiled rescue operation swings into action.  Both the surf lifesaving people and the water police risk their lives in hazardous conditions to save lives and helicopters usually take part in search operations.  The cost is horrendous and much of this is paid for by public donations.

We have just had a massive low pressure incident form in the Tasman sea and that piled massive surf along the entire Australian east coast.  Once again, several people fishing from rocks on the coastline were swept into the sea and drowned.  Reports of a missing fisherman result in a recue mission being mounted and later this degenerates into a body recovery.  Boats and helicopters search the sea long after hope is abandoned.

What is astonishing is that people continue to fish off rocks when the risk of drowning is so glaringly apparent. By rule of thumb, every seventh wave is bigger than its predecessors  and the ocean regularly delivers " rogue " waves that reach new heights.  The law requires those fishing from a rocky shoreline to be wearing a safety device but a visit to any popular shoreline shows this to be lacking.

A safety vest is an incredibly cheap safety option, and yet the vast majority of people who fish refuse to adopt this safety measure. Many claim it is not " necessary " while others complain it is restrictive - or " uncomfortable ".  Most modern jackets are worn deflated and inflate automatically once the wearer is in the water.  It is very apparent that a sight of a fisherperson in a life jacket is a rarity.

It is time that the measures employed to keep boast users safe were extended to rock fishing.  Given the extent of the Australian coastline this would be better enforced by individual councils and their rangers should be authorised to issue fines to those fishing without the required safety measures.  Not only would this deliver a saving in rescue costs, the income would be valuable for struggling country municipal councils.

This drowning tragedy is bringing heartache to many families.  The wearing of a flotation device is a reasonable requirement to impose of people at risk from rock fishing and it is time that it becomes legally enforced.  It seems the only way to save some people from themselves - and their families will obviously appreciate the lives saved !