Lobster poaching starts early

[kelemvor]

@kelemvor

"Unfortunately, you're mistaken. I've got a thread on SB somewhere on this topic. There are several flaws to our dive flag laws.

Firstly, only divers and professional captains with a captains license tend to have any idea what either kind of diver down flag is (US red/white or the blue/white other one). We're a tourism driven state and requiring training would deter tourists from renting boats... you get the idea. Visiting boaters tend to drive over to a dive flag to see what they are. Jet ski renters use them as slalom poles to race around. Some divers (not me) consider a dive flag to be a bigger risk than not having one and choose to ignore the law.

Second, penalties for getting caught is something like a $25 fine.. that's it. I'll have to look it up, but it's so pathetically small as to be only a minor inconvenience for anyone but the lowest of income families. There's no jail time, and it's not going to get you a record. Basically, it's a law that has no teeth.

Third, it's something that is only typically enforced as a "secondary" offense. If you run over a diver who had a flag, you're going to get fined $25 in addition to lawsuits or whatever else comes of it. If nothing happens, law enforcement isn't going to chase down a tourist who got too close to a flag and kept going. If you got targeted for an inspection and so happened to be too near a flag you might get a citation. I don't think LE considers it to be a very big deal.

I had been trying to organize a group to post informative signs at boat docks, but I kind of dropped the ball. I need to get a thousand or so printed and laminated.

Good dive boat captains tend to run interference in order to fend away other boaters from groups of divers, so at least we've got that going for us. "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
$25.00 Florida dollars?
The fine dose not match the offense .

you stated
I had been trying to organize a group to post informative signs at boat docks, but I kind of dropped the ball. I need to get a thousand or so printed and laminated.

Had Been ??? What happened ?

Such a group is certainly needed in your waters

I let little things like a broken laminator get in the way. I've ordered a replacement just now. I think I'll start with just 100 laminated signs. @cardzard runs a bi-annual dive/camping weekend that has allowed me to recruit a few folks to help post the signs on boards at public boat launches. I'm tempted to also mail some to boat rental companies in the hopes they might display the signs for customers.

Here's the content of the sign. Someone else had designed a similar sign but the wording didn't seem quite right to me and had advertisements for a dive shop. It still needs a little work but it's close to being good I think.


Thanks for gently prodding me back into action. I think I'll still be able to have a stack of signs ready to pass around during the next Fallfest Megadive!

 

[The Chairman]

I tried to look this up in FWC's website and was not able to, but if memory serves, the fine for a diver without a flag is $100. The fine for encroaching on a dive flag is $50. Technically, SMBs (Sausages) are not dive flags, but I have never heard of a diver being given a fine for using one.

Florida Boating Regulations

It's good for all divers going after spiny lobsters to read that law as well: Spiny Lobster - Panulirus argus

Stay safe. Too many Captain Morgans and Ensign Budweisers out there for me to play in salt water this week.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@kelemvor

Why laminate?
Great work !

Your posters appear great but need one tweak

FYI;
Since 1960 the official recognized proportions of the red & white dive flag has been;
4 units high X 5 units wide X ONE UNIT WHITE DIAGONAL STRIPE

Might want to adjust your picture accordingly

Good luck !

SAM

 

[Bob DBF]

Why laminate?

It rains regularly during the summer back there.


Bob

 

[Johnoly]

... Too many Captain Morgans and Ensign Budweisers out there for me to play in salt water this week.

Friends in Key Largo today are saying traffic is jammed up longer than the girls washroom line at a Justin Beiber concert.

 

[Wookie]

Friends in Key Largo today are saying traffic is jammed up longer than the girls washroom line at a Justin Beiber concert.

Quote of the day in some Keys dive shop: "Do you rent tickle sticks", and the repair quote is "can you make it stop leaking without servicing it?". Some folks from California came in to rent gear. All 36 sets have been rented for months.

 

[The Chairman]

• The third best thing about moving up to North Florida is missing the craziness of mini-season in Key Largo.
• The second best thing was moving three weeks before Irma arrived.
• The best thing about moving up to North Florida is the cool. Cool in the mornings and cool in the winter. I GOT SEASONS!!!

I do miss my Fang.

 

[Wookie]

I’m told Fang is fine.

 

[The Chairman]

I’m told Fang is fine.

I saw her during Spring MegaDive. She didn't recognize me at first and then the kisses wouldn't stop.

 

[Tug]

I’d imagine mini season is like what I do on a Saturday afternoon after tying the boat up at the end of a charter. We tie up next to the fuel dock and it’s always amusing to sit on the boat with a beer watching everyone try and tie up at the fuel dock.