Double tragedy highlights rockfishing concerns

The disappearance of a man on Friday 25 and the death of another on Saturday 26 has led NSW police to put rock fishermen on notice. Both men had been fishing off rocks at North Bondi, and the acting police commissioner has called on fishing enthusiasts to avoid the area.

A 29-year-old Ashfield man was swept from Ben Buckler Point at around 8am on Saturday morning. He was found alive but died en route to medical facilities.

A 58-year-old man from Moorebank was struck by waves at about 6:40pm on Friday night when he and a friend had been fishing near sewerage facilities at North Bondi. Rough conditions on the night cut short efforts to find him.

In both cases, Surf Life Saving NSW and the Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service (WHRS) aided in search and rescue efforts.

Surf Life Saving spokesperson Donna Wishart said rock fishing accounts for the largest proportion of rescues and coastal drownings, aside from rips.

This view is supported by the NSW government’s Safewaters report, which identifies rock fishing as causing more fatalities than any other sport in NSW.

Safewaters warns that rock fishing is “probably the most dangerous sport in Australia”, finding that at least 42 deaths between 2004 and 2008 were linked to rock fishing, with more suspected to be listed as falls and other accidents.

A Waverley Council spokesperson said the council will investigate the use of ‘angel rings’, life preservers for use in emergencies, to be placed in obvious spots frequented by rock fishermen such as North Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama. But the council does not encourage the activity, describing it as very dangerous.

Surf Life Saving NSW and Australia, WHRS and several sport-fishing organisations are working on a new advertising campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of rock fishing as well as providing information on doing it safely.
– By Joshua Cole