As the summer holidays approach, we would like to remind anglers about the importance of boating safety.

Our inland waterways are fantastic places to relax and unwind while boating and fishing. They can also be dangerous if the correct preparations aren’t made. It is incredibly unfortunate that the 2014-2015 angling season saw two people lose their lives on inland waters in Tasmania. We are committed to doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again.

Check your boating safety equipment and ensure your motor is in good working order before going on your trip. The minimum safety equipment requirements for your boat can be found at http://www.mast.tas.gov.au/recreational/boating/

Check the condition of your fire extinguishers.  Our officers often discover these in poor condition.

Ensure that self-inflating PFDs are serviced regularly in line with the manufacturers specifications.

The wearing of PFD’s is extremely important. They are no good to you if you end up in the water when they are stowed. Our officers take this issue seriously and there is zero tolerance for failing to wear your PFD.

Always check the weather forecast and take note of any warnings, particularly small craft wind alerts. The weather in Tasmania’s central highlands changes very quickly and can go from calm conditions to extremely rough rapidly. Even in Summer.

Also, go easy on the drink and stay under .05, and at all times respect the water.

This angling season our officers have already issued 17 infringements under Marine and Safety Tasmania Legislation. This is way too many. The vast majority of these have been for failing to wear PFD’s. We have also found many people failing to maintain their safety equipment in good order.

We want all anglers to be safe, enjoy their fishing trip and gets back home to their family to share a feed of fresh trout.