The bar of the Richmond River is one of the most dangerous on the coast, with a large number of capsizes and incidents in the past, according to northernstar.com.
Ballina Fishermen’s Co-op general manager Phil Hilliard said: “Desperate trawler operators at Ballina are putting themselves in danger by crossing the bar in bad conditions.”
Mr. Hilliard has called on the NSW Government to finalise the report into the dredging of the bar.
He says people will be killed unless the work is done.
“Every day these fishermen are putting themselves at risk trying to get out there,” he said.
“I hear all of these hairy stories about boats going sideways … it is so dangerous. And the trawlers are only half of the story – there are also lots of amateurs trying to cross that bar. If one of them drowns, it would be a tragedy. We know there is a solution. Dredge the bar. Put a channel in,” concluded Mr. Hilliard.
Dredging Today Staff, June 14, 2012
