Free seminar aims to boost safety for Whanganui’s fishermen this summer

The free seminar will give local fisherman top tips on crossing the Whanganui River Bar. Photo / NZME

A free seminar will help keep Whanganui’s fishermen safe this summer.

On Sunday, September 22, local coastguard volunteers are holding a seminar on the Whanganui bar. It will cover the bar’s features, understanding weather conditions, and other tips for boaties planning to cross the bar.

The seminar is one of several in the nationwide Bar Awareness Roadshow campaign, launched by Coastguard Tautiaki Moana alongside the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council with support from local boating and fishing clubs.

Coastguard Tautiaki Moana community engagement manager Nātia Tucker said understanding the risks of rivers and harbour bar crossings is critical for anyone going out on the water.

“Things can happen even to the most experienced boatie, whether it’s their first or 100th time crossing. We know that bars change all the time, so our bar awareness seminars and accompanying videos offer practical advice from local volunteers and experts who cross these bars regularly.”

In the past decade there have been 31 deaths associated with bar crossings. Of those, a high percentage were from one of New Zealand’s many ethnic communities, including Chinese, Cook Island Māori, Thai, and Tongan, said coastguard bar safety programme lead Simon Marshall.

He said to ensure the seminars are accessible for everyone, educational videos have been released with translated subtitles for seven languages: te reo Māori, Chinese, Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Māori, Fijian, and Thai.

“We want our videos to be accessible to a wide range of New Zealanders, especially for some of whom English is a second language. Of course, we still encourage them to attend a seminar in their region to get the most up-to-date information on their local bar.”

New Zealand Sport Fishing Council communications and operations lead Mike Plant said the council is invested in making sure people make it home safely after a day on the water.

“That’s why we have teamed up with the coastguard to roll out this programme. Even the fish of a lifetime is not worth losing your life over.”

The details:

What: Bar Crossing Seminar - Whanganui

When: Sunday, September 22, 1.30pm-3.30pm

Where: Whanganui-Manawatū Sea Fishing Club, 1A Wharf Street, Castlecliff

Register: Visit humanitix.com and search ‘coastguard’