Rock-based Fisher Safety Promotion: A Decade On.

In the 10 years between 2006 and 2015, seven percent of all drowning fatalities in New Zealand were the consequence of land-based fishing activity (Water Safety New Zealand, 2015). In 2006, a collaborative campaign was launched in the Auckland, New Zealand entitled the West Coast Fisher Safety Project. This paper reports on the findings of annual surveys from 2006-2015 to determine what impact, if any, the safety promotion project has had. The most emphatic change in fisher behavior in the intervening decade has been the more frequent self-reported use of lifejackets (2006: 4%; 2015: 40%) and a gradual shift in fisher awareness of the risks associated with rock-based fishing and their vulnerability to that risk. Some risky behaviors (e.g., retrieving snagged lines, wearing gumboots/waders) persisted and required further attention. We discuss implications of having 10 years of data to underpin our understanding of fisher safety and help shape its future direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]