Rock fishing funding 'the one that got away', says Wollongong MP

Wollongong City Council has said it wants to opt in to the laws which would mandate life jackets for all rock platforms from Otford to Port Kembla, and is asking residents to have their say.

Mr Scully, who has been critical of the pace of action on the issue, said he supported the proposal - at the very least for Hill 60 at Port Kembla, where five fishers died last year.

But he said answers he received from the Minister for Primary Industries in parliament in June showed the council had not made any applications to the Recreational Fishing Trusts for safety initiatives.

Read more: BlueScope's reality check: 'there is no green steel'

"A life jacket mandate alone is not the solution," Mr Scully told the Mercury. "There needs to be safety infrastructure improvements, awareness campaigns (inside and outside the Illawarra) and a scheme that provides low income or infrequent fishers access to life jackets.

"I have also previously suggested to council that I would do what I could to support any applications to the Recreational Fishing Trusts for safety improvements and fishing education/awareness campaigns."

A council spokeswoman said it had in fact made one application to the Trusts - in June this year, to fund improved rock fishing safety signs.

"Applications closed in June and are currently under assessment," she said.

"This is in addition to an increased focus on safety following the rock fishing tragedies in early 2021.

"Council has also invested in the installation of multilingual signage at Hill 60 and been actively working with agencies including NSW Police, Department of Primary Industries, Surf Life Saving Illawarra on targeted education and information opportunities."

The council had made one Trusts application for $6000 to improve fish habitat at Hooka Point, in 2018.