Man critical after being swept off rocks while fishing in NSW

A man has been pulled from the sea with critical injuries after being washed off rocks while fishing south of Sydney.

Emergency services were called to Garie Beach in the Royal National Park on Sunday evening after reports that a person had been swept into the ocean.

The man, believed to be a 30-year-old Iranian, was found unconscious about 50 metres out to sea, and was taken by helicopter to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

Police said the man was not wearing a life jacket, and the incident emphasised the importance of safety for people fishing off rocks.