A Dunedin surf life-saving club is aiming to help guide whitebaiters safely back to shore this season.
The Brighton Surf Life Saving Club has organised a free information session to encourage safe and responsible fishing practices this whitebait season.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the evening session at the Tautuku Fishing Club rooms on Wednesday next week.
The Department of Conservation has been invited to advise of any changes to whitebait fishing regulations.
Also included in the session will be information about the use of safety equipment, fishing around rips, waves and river mouths and a presentation on drowning and cold-water shock.
Club member Scott Weatherall encouraged the public to take part in this year’s season.
"Go and enjoy the fantastic opportunity we have. You don’t need a whole lot of gear; it doesn’t cost you a lot of money — it’s free to go and whitebait."
With whitebait season beginning in September, his main priority was public safety.
"We just want people to go and enjoy it, be safe and come home at the end of the day."
He strongly advised those who intended to go whitebaiting this season to let people know where they were going, when they were going and when they would be home again.
Mr Weatherall emphasised the rules were there "to ensure we have whitebait for years to come, so our children and our grandchildren can continue the tradition of whitebaiting for as many years as we have today".
