Rockfishing Anchor points for Albany
Submitted by Buz on Sat, 2013-02-02 09:34
Rockfishing Anchor points to be now installed at popular rockfishing sites in Albany like Salmon Holes after the Premier overturned DEC's decision to not have them. DEC's reasoning, they could provide fishers a false sense of security, 'harness syndrome' or the ropes tied to the points could create a tripping hazard. Ray Walker and others campaigned for this first back in 2003 and was told then no by DEC(CALM) too. Well its been a while but got there eventually. Now to get them installed and to educate fishers the benefit of using them and how to use them.
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Official Release
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/pages/StatementDetails.aspx?listName=StatementsBarnett&StatId=7187
A Liberal Government if re-elected would provide $300,000 over three years to provide enhanced safety measures for rock fishers at popular locations along the WA coast.
Premier Colin Barnett said, while rock fishing remained popular, there had been a number of tragic incidents which illustrated that more should be done to protect fishers.
Potential safety measures already identified include the physical installation of bolts that can be used as anchor points and the provision of better emergency response systems and public rescue equipment at popular rock fishing spots.
Mr Barnett made the announcement from Salmon Holes near Albany, where rock fishing bolts will be installed as a priority.
“Since 2007, there have been 13 rock fishing-related deaths recorded in Western Australia and it is clear more can be done to protect fishers,” Mr Barnett said.
“The Government will engage with Recfishwest, the Surf Live Saving Association of WA, local government and communities to identify specific areas of concern, discuss the most effective action that can be taken, and how this is best done.”
Potential safety measures that have already been identified for proper investigation with Recfishwest, the Surf Live Saving Association of WA, local government and communities include:
The Premier said raising the public’s awareness of potential dangers and on-site information for fishers would also be a key part of this work.
“It is estimated that more than 600,000 West Australians take part in recreational fishing each year but many are unaware of the potential dangers posed by some forms of fishing,” he said.
“Better signage at popular rock fishing spots and more information material - such as leaflets and brochures - will help people to understand and take heed of potential dangers.”
Mr Barnett said a number of priority areas had been identified, in consultation with Recfishwest, for the new safety measures, including Twilight Cove and Hellfire Bay at Esperance; Salmon Holes and Lowlands at Albany; and Kingie Rock and Long Pont in the Denmark-Walpole region. The first works are expected to be installed by Easter 2013.
Fact File
Premier’s office - 6552 5000
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
DEC
DEC, not a lot of time for them myself. Sorry damo, LOL.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
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Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
Pain in The Arse
Only tried using them once and the ropes got hooked around rocks and tangled around your legs and I ended up taking the harness off. I dont know what would happen if the ropes tripped you up and you fell unconscious into the drink. I noticed a lot of people are of the same opinion because I see very few people using the anchor points.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Hear the same opinion from
Hear the same opinion from some people that think seatbelts in cars are a pain in the arse too.
Each to their own though. I use anchor points when rockfishing if they are available and if they are not i use rock climbing cams. Can see the risk you speak of of tripping on the ropes and falling in unconcious but that would only be a risk for those not using the ropes/anchors. If used correctly you physically cannont go into the drink as you have your length of rope shorter than the distance to the water. So even if a wave came and smashed you, you might be battered and bruised but not in the drink.
I also use anchor points when fishing of big cliffs, not because of wave risk but because i just dont want to fall off a high spot. So again shorten the rope so i cant actually even get to the edge.
In the end its another form of safety device, that should be used in conjunction with other forms of rockfishing safety devices, which will hopefully saves lives. Which makes them worth it in my opinion.
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
A Couple Of Differences Buz
Firstly seat belts are law and you get fined for not using them and still an estimated 50% don't use them but I do and the anchors use are not law and secondly seat belts are not a danger to other motorists but as you mention the anchores could be a danger to other people who don't use them and that then puts the onus of care onto you.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
True Howard. But
True Howard. But hypotheticaly if seatbelts werent a legal requirement(like in some less developed countries) would you still use one? And if so why would you use one if it wasnt a legal requirement? I dont wear a seatbelt in my car because its the law. I wear it for safety reasons, law or not. Same as why i use anchor points. Yeah they can be a pain in the arse(especially on limestone rocks) but its worth it for the extra safety. Same as any working at heights occupations i guess.
Actually fished Salmon holes this morning(beach only). Wild place!!!
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
50%
I dont know where you pulled that 50% figure from Howard?
Sure installing anchor points doesnt mean people will use them. But guys like Buz who do use them will reduce the risk they expose themselves to significantly. Maybe you should try using them more than once before you write them off
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
Police Minister Rig
Relying on memory only Rig I think the Police Minister made a statement on the Dept. of Road Safety Web-site just recently about seat belts and their usage. As for the anchor points, right from day one they were identified as having some safety issues especially to other fishers tripping over your rope and if they fell into the water and drowned the law would be all over you if they felt you were in any way negligent. Even DEC has identified that there's a problem with them just 6 months ago. If Buz feels comfortable using them no ones stopping him but I have a difference of opinion that was gained from my experiences and nothing thats been said here will change that. I've been fishing the rocks in the Capes region for half a century and I'm still here enjoying my fishing experiences with no mishaps so far, touch wood.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
link
wheres the link on that one Howard? 50%?? you have got to be kidding!! Its easy to make a comment like that on a forum
Your drawing a pretty long bow on negligence there "if they felt you were negligent" c'mon??? Its never going to be compulsary to tie off to a anchor point, nor should it be. For the people who want to thats great and I am sure there are plenty of people who cant even swim that will fish at spots like salmon holes and not tie off. Call it natural selection but if they save 1 life they are well and truly worth it IMO
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
Go
www.ors.wa.gov.au/demographic- then click seat belts and then seat belt statistics. It's all there.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Lol
That link doesn't work
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
Works for me.
tried it a few times now and it's worked each time.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Seatbelt
It actually says 7.3%on the website as I found when looking at the stats section
Seat belts were not worn by 7.3% of vehicle occupants killed or seriously injured.
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
keep reading
Try regional accident and deaths Rig. I'll give you a clue. 67% unrestrained involved in accidents.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Regional
That's what I took the quote from regional stats, you need to get some glasses
Regional WA Overview
The statistics on this page relate to the 10 year period of 2001-2010 unless otherwise specified.
Snapshot of Regional WA statistics (KSI = killed or seriously injured)Number of killed or seriously injured (KSI): 961 in 2010, 10,089 from 2001-2010
Overview of statisticsMost common crash type: Single vehicle hitting and object (42%)
Most common crash site speed zone: 110 km/h (40%)
Seat belts not worn: 7% of KSI
Speed as a factor: 20% of KSI
Alcohol as a factor: 8% of KSI
961 people were killed or seriously injured in regional Western Australia (excludes the Metropolitan area) last year.
10,089 people have been killed or seriously injured in the last 10 years (2001-2010) in Western Australia. This is a high rate of 141.8 per 100,000 population.
These were a result of 2,898 single vehicle crashes and 1,454 multiple vehicle crashes.
Crash types (Safe Roads & Roadsides/Safe Speeds)It is not widely known that most of the fatal and serious crashes that occur in the regional areas of Western Australia involve only one vehicle which has either run off the road and/or collided with an object or rolled over.
42.1% of people killed or seriously injured was a result of hitting an object (excludes animals).
13.8% was due non-collision single vehicle rollover or run-off-road.
40.3% of fatal and serious crashes occurred on 110 km/h speed zones.
Behaviours (Safe Road Use)23.4% occurred on roads with speed zones of 60 km/h or under.
(Note that 17.4% of crash reports did not provide the speed zone.)
Seat belts were not worn by 7.3% of vehicle occupants killed or seriously injured.
Speed was a factor of 20.3% of people killed or seriously injured.
A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 or higher was recorded in 7.9% of fatal and serious crashes.
A BAC of 0.08 or higher was recorded in 7.21% of fatal and serious crashes.
Alcohol was not a factor in 60.1% of fatal and serious crashes.
(Note that 29.6% of crashes had unknown BACs.)
Fatigue could be responsible for up to 30% of deaths and a bigger percentage of serious injury crashes.
Because fatigue is difficult to measure, it is under-represented in police crash data, however research indicates that up to 30% of crashes involve fatigue.
186 fatalities in 2012.
Click here for more statistics.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Stats are wrong!!!
The speeding stats are wrong. Its not speed that kills, its the sudden stop that does the damage.
IMO, if I think a spot could be dangerous, safety rings or not, there is no way I'm going to fish it. They will give a false sense of security to those who shouldn't be there to start off with.
NO fish is worth risking a life for and to see some of the idiots going where angels fear to tread send shivers up my spine because some poor bystander will probably have to risk his life to save them, safety rings or not.
The whole thing is a vote buying exercise to get Barnett re elected otherwise it would have come up when it was all discussed ages back.
flangies
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 11/05/08
I think anchor points are
I think anchor points are great. I don't know why anyone would be against them. When you consider the amount of people that drown from falling in, if it saves even one life, years down the track; as far as I am concerned it was worth every cent. I would donate money if I knew it was going to go directly to installing some and I know heaps of people that would also. You can't throw them in the water like all the *edit* pole smokers that throw the life rings in up at quobba.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Missing
Can you remember which ones were missing? Not sure who is responsible for maintaining them but will ring around and find out and hopefully get them checked.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Pretty sure
old mate Ray Walker would be a good place to start
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Steep
They should be at Steep point also, its easy to fall off a cliff there and if someone could throw you a life ring you would have a reasonable chance of survival
squidder
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 03/09/10
False sense of security
is the way I see these tie downs, personal opinion though. There are some individuals out there on rocks, jettys, in cars wherever and sadly when there is a safety device, be it whatever they think they are safe and nothing is going to happen to them.
How wrong they are, it's experiance that saves most people combined with "Common Sense" that will usually save your arse..
BUT, if the tie downs are installed and you as an individual are going to feel safe hooked on then by all means use the facility.
lastly, Picking swells, especially their abnormality is very difficult and a dangerous profession....Be Careful...