Kiama Council approved a proposal at Tuesday night’s meeting to request the Minister for Local Government, The Hon. Ron Hoenig MP, to make a declaration under the Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016 that the Kiama local government area is deemed a place where high-risk rock fishing occurs.
If approved by the Minister, signage will be placed at seven locations in the LGA depicting high-risk zones where it will be mandatory for anyone engaged in rock fishing to wear a lifejacket.
This follows Surf Life Saving NSW trialling the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) camera technology at the Kiama Blowhole in a bid to reduce rock fishing drowning deaths.
The SAIL Project – (Surveillance AI for Lifesaving), is a 14-month trial which started in October and uses AI and camera-based platforms to identify incidents at unpatrolled and high-risk locations, enhancing the ability to prevent tragedies and save lives.
