Angler deaths trigger appeal for life jackets

17.05.2010

Fishing personality Rex Hunt has called
on the NSW Government to make it
compulsory for rock anglers to wear life
jackets as police continue a scaled-back
search for the body of a missing angler
off the NSW Central Coast.
The woman was among a group of two
Sydney families police believe were
swept off a rock shelf at Catherine Hill
Bay, about an hour north of Sydney, during
a Mother's Day fishing trip.
The bodies of three men and a
woman, all from Carlingford and North
Rocks, have been found.
"This is the time for the minister who
is responsible for this area to say to the
Prime Minister, as quickly as possible,
we have to get legislation through now
for the compulsory wearing of life flotation
devices by people who fish on the
rocks, no exceptions," Hunt said.
His calls echo comments by Surf Life
Saving Central Coast chief executive
Chad Griffith, who said rock fishing
reform was long overdue.
NSW Maritime released a discussion
paper on life jackets and rock fishing in
November, noting that nine people had
died to that point last year.
"Regulating this (activity) would not
be easy," the paper noted.
"Some fishing can be done very safely
from the rocks, especially in sheltered
bays and inlets.
"But some rock platforms are on high
energy exposed coastline where large
waves can break unpredictably."
One suggestion included in the discussion
paper was that it be made compulsory
to wear a specific type of jacket
on exposed rock platforms whenever a
wind or wave warning had been issued.
Another was that some areas be signposted
as recommended life jacketwearing
areas.
Angel rings - stainless steel poles
with life buoys attached - are installed
at many popular fishing spots up and
down the NSW coast and are also kept in
the back of most police vehicles that are
used near water. Police have confirmed
there was an angel ring on Flat Rock, the
rock shelf on which the Tin and Poon
families were fishing.
Marine Area Command regional controller,
acting Supt Joe McNulty, said
yesterday the angel ring had been used,
meaning one or more of the group died
trying to save the others.
Police have not yet identified the bodies
they have retrieved. But they are
believed to be those of Pofong "Phan"
Poon, 63, his wife Agnes, 61, and their
son Dillon, 25, and Kin Leung "Dennis"
Tin, 56, and Sau Ying Kwong Tin, 58.
Meanwhile, a man is recovering in
hospital after falling off a cliff on to a
rock ledge while fishing at Bluefish Point
in Manly, in Sydney's north, yesterday.
And a US swimmer is missing near
Byron Bay.