Anyone rock fishing in high risk areas in Lake Macquarie will soon risk a $100 fine after councillors decided last week to “opt in” to the state government’s new law.
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The government has left it to each NSW council to decide whether to enforce the law locally, after an 18-month trial at Randwick.
Lake Macquarie councillors approved a staff recommendation at last week’s meeting to join the program, meaning the city’s council rangers will help enforce the wearing of life jackets by anglers on rock platforms in “high risk areas”.
The Act defines a high risk area as “a naturally occurring rock platform or other rock formation exposed to ocean swell within a declared area”.
A Lake Macquarie council staff report tabled at last week’s meeting noted 17 people died at Snapper Point – a popular but dangerous rock fishing spot just south of Lake Macquarie – since 2008.
But councillors were divided as to whether the city should opt in.
“I think it’s really important with the tragedies that we’ve had down the southern part of our city that we support this,” said Cr Christine Buckley, who was among the majority of councillors who ultimately backed the move.
Cr Jason Pauling said he did not believe issuing fines to rock fishers who were without life jackets would be successful.
“The loss of life is tragic, no disputing that, however those that rock fish fall into two categories. Either they understand the signage ... so they choose to ignore it and charge on regardless or they don’t understand the sign and they charge on regardless,” he said.
Newcastle City Council and Port Stephens Council are each yet to make a formal decision on whether to opt in and make life jackets compulsory when rock fishing in certain areas. But a Port Stephens council spokesperson said compliance staff planned to discuss the new legislation early next year and would recommend the council opts in to the Rock Fishing Safety Act.
The exact locations that will be deemed high risk in Lake Macquarie are yet to be finalised, but a council spokeswoman told Fairfax Media more information would be made available on the council’s website when decisions were made.
She said all rock platforms “exposed to ocean swell” in places like Dudley, Swansea Heads and Catherine Hill Bay would be considered high risk fishing spots.
Central Coast Council has opted in to the new law.