Locals who visited the stall to exchange old life jackets for more modern versions at a reduced price, as part of Transport for NSW’s Old4New campaign, shared their opinions on whether wearing life jackets while rock fishing should be made compulsory across the shire.

In January, a 54-year-old man who was not wearing a life jacket drowned after being dragged into the water by dangerous seas while rock fishing at the popular bay.

“My feeling is the word common sense has to come back,” Tathra’s Geoff Munz said.

“In a dangerous environment you wear one and if it’s not dangerous then you don’t.”

Leaving the decision to personal choice was a common theme on the day.

“It’s about education and learning, and I think a knee-jerk reaction to cater to the five percent is not the way,” Jonathon Gough said.

Louise Stephen also echoed the same sentiment.

“I think people have to be responsible for themselves, and if they want to take risks then it is up to them,” she said.

As of December 1 last year Randwick City Council made it compulsory to wear a life jacket while rock fishing along an area of coastline with the highest rate of rock fishing drownings in the state.

“Rock fishing is one of Australia’s deadliest pastimes, and of the 10 people who died in NSW in 2015-16 not one was wearing a life jacket,” Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott said at the time.

While there is a 12-month moratorium on fines, the trial period is being enforced by officers from Randwick City Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Police Force, who will jointly warn rock fishers in the area not wearing a life jacket.

Marine Rescue NSW member Rod Sudholme had one message to pass on to boaters across the region.

“Log on with your local marine rescue unit and wear a life jacket,” he said.

According to organisers, the exchanged life jackets will be sent to Papua New Guinea.