Recfishwest has welcomed the completion of a new Telstra mobile base station improving coverage across key parts of Torndirrup National Park – a practical safety upgrade for one of Western Australia’s most spectacular and infamous stretches of coastline.
The lack of reliable mobile coverage in the park has long been a concern for fishers, visitors and emergency services alike. Those concerns were brought into sharp focus by coronial inquests into three tragic rock fishing deaths at Salmon Holes in 2015 and 2016, where difficulty contacting emergency services was identified as a key issue needing to be addressed.
Recfishwest has consistently advocated for improved mobile coverage in remote and high-risk fishing locations, and we see this investment as a meaningful step forward.
What it means for Salmon Holes
While, due to its geography, full coverage is still not available for Salmon Holes – there is enough to be able to make emergency calls on the Telstra network.
This significantly improves safety at this location.
More work to do along the coast
While this upgrade is welcome, there remain several high-use, high-risk fishing locations along WA’s coastline where reception is unreliable or non-existent.
Remote sections of the South Coast, parts of the Mid-West, Steep Point, Quobba and other popular rock fishing platforms continue to experience connectivity gaps. Improving communications infrastructure in these areas would materially enhance emergency response capability and potentially save lives, as well as improving the all-round quality of fishing experiences in these locations.
Connectivity not a safe fishing “silver bullet”
“This latest investment is a good step forward,” said Recfishwest Fish and Survive Program Coordinator Levi De Boni.
“Recfishwest will continue advocating for practical, targeted safety improvements in high-risk fishing locations across Western Australia to help ensure every fisher returns home safely after a day on the water.
“However, while mobile coverage is an important piece of the fishing safety puzzle, it is not a silver bullet and there are many safety considerations before a day’s fishing in this kid of location.
“And the reality is, if you find yourself having to make an emergency call, the likelihood is someone has made some bad decisions – so we really encourage you to educate yourself about precautions you need to take if fishing in these areas.”
Take these precautions before and while fishing in this location
- Check weather and swell forecasts before you go
- Tell someone where you’re fishing and when you’ll return
- Fish with a mate
- Keep the sand between your toes and fish from the beach – you’ll catch as many fish without the risks
- If you choose to fish from the rocks wear appropriate safety gear and clothing including a lifejacket – Recfishwest provides free loan life jackets through various outlets – click here to see where you can hire one of these
- Never turn your back on the ocean
- For more safety tips visit the Fish and Survive section of our website here
