Multi language advice helps save rock fishing lives

Former All Black Michael Jones promotes safety at Muriwai. Photo / Greg Bowker

Eleven lives have been lost at west Auckland rock fishing spots since 2005, and safety campaigners say the message to use flotation aids - such as lifejackets - must continue to be pitched at people in their native languages.

A survey of 144 rock fishers showed 61 per cent were Asian and 11 per cent from Pacific Islands, said WaterSafe Auckland chairman Dr Kevin Moran.

"But the notion that they had local knowledge to keep them safe was blown away. About 20 per cent were first-time users of sites and a fifth had been in New Zealand less than five years."

Dr Moran said the survey showed better awareness of rock fishing safety after six seasons and a shift in behaviour.

The number of fishers who never wore life jackets had changed over the past five years from 72 per cent to 37 per cent. Half of those surveyed said they wore lifejackets often.

The campaign to change traditional resistance to wearing any flotation aid got a push from former All Black Michael Jones who went to popular spot Flat Rock at Muriwai and gave out free inflatable lifejackets.

The campaign started in 2006 after five fishers were drowned in five months.

Advisers were hired to warn fishers - in their own language - about the danger of large waves sweeping them into the deep, rip-torn Tasman Sea waters.

Muriwai has waves for 340 days a year with an average height of 1.5m to 2m, whipped up by onshore winds.

Dr Moran said it had been hard work to make progress.

One practice that had not changed was scrambling down the rocks to free snagged lines at the water's edge, instead of cutting off the tackle.

Half the fishers surveyed still ignored advice against the practice.

Dr Moran said "angel rings" or life buoys were installed at eight high-risk and remote spots.

The survey showed seven out of 10 fishers knew the rings were available for them to throw out to anyone who had been swept off the rock.

Last December at Dawson's Ledge, Piha, a ring helped a fisherman survive until a rescue helicopter arrived.

An incident in April had a tragic result. Bethells Beach lifeguards found an Asian man face-down in the water.

A companion had taken his lifejacket off and tried to throw it to the man, who could not reach it.

But wearing a lifejacket saved a fisherman who fell into the surf at North Piha, in December.

Dr Moran said the safety promotion had reduced the number of rock fishing deaths since 2006 to six.

The Auckland Council will continue the $35,000 annual funding for the programme, which was started by the former Auckland Regional Council and also involved WaterSafe Auckland, Surf Life Saving Northern region and Safe Waitakere.