Homeland Security closing Oil Rig access?

[donmoore]

Homeland Security closing Oil Rig access?

A friend just called me at work and said he heard on the news that Homeland Security was closing all fishing and diving at oil platforms off the U.S. coast, starting in June. That is pretty big bad news for our area (Texas) because about 80% of the fishing, and 95% of the diving is done at platforms.

I have been trying to find something on the Internet about this, and all I have found is the following statement by AP “on Friday, May 9, 2003. Homeland security is butting heads with good fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. About 4,000 offshore rigs dot the gulf, supplying about a third of the nation's domestic oil and gas supply. The platforms are a vital link in the U.S. energy chain, yet they are virtually unprotected from terrorists. The rigs also are a favorite destination for fishing boats, which bob up and down in their shadows as anglers fight for tuna, marlin and other species that are drawn to the rigs like bugs to a light bulb”.

Tomorrow night I was scheduled to leave for Florida to look at a boat. If this is going to happen, then I don’t want to buy a new boat, and my friend wants to sell his. Does anyone know anything about this?
don

 

[Jon]

Everything seems so sporadic with this stuff.

We have two shipwrecks, one on top of another, right off of a Nuclear power plant around here. I was diving on them last summer and watched the police boat go wizizng by and wave at us! If anyplace should be off limits it should be a nuclear power plant.

None of these rules make any snese to me.


Jon

 

[donmoore]

more info found

I found out some more info on this. Apparently the Homeland Security Department had one meeting with a few fishing groups on May 9th. In July they will release their new rules concerning oil rigs/platforms. From what I have been able to gather, the rules will be effective immediately. No more public input. No proposed rules with a time for public comment. Just done.

A Coast Guard spokesman said, "There could be rules that change the way some people fish". Apparently radio notification by boat captains to manned rigs before approaching was one of the ideas talked about.

What really concerns my friend and me is the rules that change the way people fish, could end diving at the rigs all together. Tying up to the rig, which is by far the safest way to dive them, is one thing they might banned and divers going down under them is another.

If diving rigs is banned, I pretty well done with spearfishing and freediving. Only time I could do it is on a vacation.
don

 

[Iyadiver]

Gee Don, I don't know what to say. You better try to find some submerged pinnacle if there is any...

 

[j.grady]

bummer.......looks like its time to buy two boats, one to sink as an artificial reef, and the other to get to it.....dove some boulders in 70ft off texas a while back.....held some pretty nice fish, 40-50 mile run though..

 

[SpearSlinger1]

Homeland Security closing Oil Rig access?

Deffinate bummer. Maybe chumming from up current would draw the fish to you if you could position the boat close enough to make it work?

 

[rigdvr]

I wouldnt worry too much Don...the same rumors were swirling after 9/11. The rule would be uninforceable. There are 4,000 rigs, of which most are unmanned to patrol by very few coastguard and navy vessels. The officers I have spoken with understand that if the rigs were a target, which they dont really believe, they would be hit by speedboat type attack, like the USS Cole. When is the last time one of these terrorist planted a bomb and made a getaway? In fact in the meeting in Louisiana the USCG admitted they needed people like us, especially the charter captains who are out there everyday, b/c we would be able to spot unusual activity quicker.

 

[cdavis]

rigdver, the logic is on your side, but these homeland security types are a little nutty sometimes. They are now requiring boaters returning from the Bahamas to come in person, the entire party, to the(land locked) immigration office to check in. From South Florida, the Bahamas are a day trip, taken by hundreds of boats every week in summer. For me this should be no problem since my boat is trailerable and I take off from a port with a 24 hour office. However, for some people this is a huge and expensive hassle. I can't see how it contributes anything to U.S. security.

 

[rigdvr]

Like I said, even if they made the rule, it would be unenforcable. Nobody would stop fishing or diving the rigs. Maybe the manned ones but definately not the unmanned ones.