Landline a lifeline for fishers

Funding for a new emergency telephone line for Salmon Holes, announced by the State Government last week, has the potential to shave life-saving minutes off rescue times at the notorious rock fishing spot, according to local volunteer rescuers.

The phone will be funded by a $13,530 State Government Gaming Community Trust grant awarded to Recfishwest, who will work with the Department of Parks and Wildlife to install and maintain the phone.

According to Recfishwest, the desired location for the phone, which will connect directly to emergency services, is on the northern rocks, where a Silent Sentry device, six anchor points and an angel ring are already located.

Racing and Gaming Minister Colin Holt, who visited Albany last Friday to make the announcement, said the phone would counter poor mobile reception in the area.

"Fast communication with emergency services can sometimes be the difference between life and death," he said.

Salmon Holes was also earmarked for a new mobile tower through the joint State and Federal government-funded Mobile Black Spot Program late last month.

Wayne Drew, whose 15-year-old son Nathan drowned at Salmon Holes in September 2003, said he welcomed the announcement, labelling it "another link in the chain" to preventing future rock fishing deaths.

Mr Drew said it was hard to hear about others drowning in similar circumstances as his son.

There have been 11 confirmed deaths at Salmon Holes in the past three decades.

The body of one man who was washed off the rocks in April has never been recovered.

"It's very sad," Mr Drew said.

"We've been through it as a family and it takes years and years to recover and you never get over the loss.

"So everything we can do to help stop that is really important."

Albany Sea Rescue Squad boat captain Chris Johns said the emergency telephone could cut the 15 to 30-minute delay in making the first call for help.

"It's just another tool to shave some minutes off those desperate hours - whether it makes a difference for everyone, time will tell," he said.

But Mr Johns said the emergency phone shouldn't be an invitation for anglers to be complacent.

"Don't rest secure in the knowledge that there is a device out there that will lead you to leave all your safety advice in your car … we will always answer the call, but if you are wearing the right safety gear we shouldn't get the call in the first place," he said.