A night swim in rough seas might not be everyone idea of work but for the State’s Fisheries Officers it’s all in a day’s [night’s] work.

 Fisheries Officers conducting coastal surveillance near Flinders observed an abalone poaching operation, and with the assistance of police, the group was intercepted.

The group dispersed and most were apprehended after a chase.

One member of the group was pursued into remote and inaccessible country before contact was lost.

The Fisheries Officers requested the deployment of a rescue helicopter, and a search of the area using thermal imaging technology detected a heat source in a cave at the base of a steep cliff.

Neither a beach landing nor a winching operation was viable options for the rescue helicopter crew, so Police Search and Rescue were deployed. The police determined a cliff rescue was not suitable due to unstable soil, and the air ambulance that was deployed determined that winching or beach landing was not possible.

Water police were deployed, with Fisheries Officers on board, to attempt a sea rescue. The patrol vessel got as close as it could to the person sheltering in the cave, and Fisheries Officer Rod Barber entered the water towing a life buoy. He then rescued the individual, who was suffering from hypothermia and other injuries, towing him to patrol vessel and helping him aboard so that first aid could be administered.

As well as rescuing the individual, this exercise netted 41kg of abalone, and resulted in four individuals facing court in relation to illegal poaching.

CPSU wishes to congratulate the Fisheries Officers involved for their brave conduct and professionalism.

When asked to comment on the incident, Senior Fisheries Officer and CPSU member Rod Barber said officers regularly swim into these remote bays and caves to check divers. It is what officers would do on a normal day at work - if you could call that normal.

Rod was quick to play down any suggestion of personal heroics saying what he did was not out of the ordinary and all FO’s would do the same in similar circumstances.

Fisheries Officers are employed by the State to patrol our coastline and waterways and these officers are often required to observe and apprehend armed and/or violent members of the public breaking Victoria’s marine conservation laws.

CPSU is concerned about the health and safety of these officers, and is campaigning for the provision of appropriate response equipment and training to be made available to ensure these workers are not put at risk while undertaking their statutory role and so they can get on with their important work.