May comment from Ben Collins, Editor Bush 'n Beach Fishing magazine 

It is always very upsetting to hear that a fisho or boatie is missing at sea. Unfortunately this was the case recently on the Gold Coast when a boat was reportedly capsized by two freak waves. I have to say I’m not a big believer in the term ‘freak wave’, as this is Mother Nature we are talking about and these so-called freak waves happen much more regularly than many boaties expect.

Still, it is a very sad that a life may have been lost. Fortunately a survivor managed to raise the alarm after swimming for over three hours to reach shore. What this does highlight is the need to be extra vigilant and prepared for the worst when on the water.

This is especially important when fishing or driving a boat at night. And while engine reliability and boat design have come a long way, they won’t prevent horrific accidents. This is where skippers need to take on extra responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone on board. I don’t know the full details of this accident, so I’m talking in general here.

Regulations introduced in January this year state that you must have a sign indicating where your life jackets and safety equipment are located if they are out of sight. This is a good positive move. But just by having a sign showing where your life jackets are doesn’t guarantee you can get them on in time if needed.

However I don’t want safety to be over regulated and common sense should prevail in most circumstances, with people erring on the side of caution. Whether in the future it becomes mandatory to wear a life jacket at night or while under way is anyone’s guess.Would it be such a pain to wear a life jacket at night or all the time while under way? Probably not if it saves the lives of you or your passengers.

In fact it’s in the rules of some fishing comps, which is a good thing considering the speed at which these boats can travel (a maximum speed limit of 40 knots applies in Queensland waters).

While not a new regulation, I believe the introduction of children under 12 wearing life jackets at all times in boats of less than 4.8m when under way was a positive move in terms of safety Not only does it ensure that children are safer, it also instils a safety conscious message at a young age, which hopefully continues as they get older.

If you are unsure of the current regulations in relation to safety equipment check out www.msq.qld.gov.au It’s better to be safe than sorry.

On a different note, you may have noticed we have a few new writers covering the Sunshine Coast and Tin Can Bay region, as well as the Border Rivers. We are also in the process of adding to the kayak section with a couple of new writers too. Kayak fishing has grown in popularity and we are keen to increase this section of the mag accordingly.

Ben Collins