Sea Cucumber Poacher Dies in Tonga

[DandyDon]

Sea cucumber diver third Tonga fisher’s death in six days

Posted at 17:21 on 31 October, 2012 UTC
An inquest is to be held in Tonga to confirm the cause of death of a man who suffered decompression sickness while diving for sea cucumbers yesterday in the outlying Ha’apai group of islands.
The unidentified man, who is believed to have been diving illegally using gas cylinders at Tungua, is the third fisherman to die in a week.
The Matangi Tonga website reports Tonga Police saying that although it is not known for certain what killed the man, the doctor who examined him says his symptoms were consistent with decompression sickness.
Scuba diving for sea cucumbers is illegal under the Tonga Fisheries Act.
Last week a 25-year-old man drowned after his leg seemingly became tangled in a nylon line that he used while diving for sea cucumber, on the northern coast of ’Atata Island.
A day later the body of a 22-year-old fisherman from Patangata was found on the reef by other fishermen returning from Pangaimotu Island.

 

[koozemani]

3 in a week! Wowsers

 

[DandyDon]

3 in a week! Wowsers

I think the other two were legal free divers.

 

[JamesK]

I think the other two were legal free divers.

it says the 25yo was caught in the line he used for sea cucumber diving.

 

[DiverAmy]

Okay, I give up. What do people do with Sea Cucumbers?

 

[fisheater]

Eat them. Quite the delicacy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MMM]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Some disrespectful and arguably off-topic comments have been deleted. Please keep in mind the special forum rules for Accidents and Incidents. Marg, ScubaBoard Senior Moderator

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[AfterDark]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Some disrespectful and arguably off-topic comments have been deleted. Please keep in mind the special forum rules for Accidents and Incidents. Marg, ScubaBoard Senior Moderator

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Respect for poachers, really?

 

[boulderjohn]

Respect for poachers, really?

I understand your point and concur with your feelings, but it is a rule in this particular forum. If you want to start a new thread on the topic of poaching in another forum, have at it.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

We know nothing of the history of the poacher, and so should still have some respect for the dead. Sea Cucumbers are not worth a life.

SeaRat