Ongoing problem with Fiji deaths using "UBA"

[DandyDon]

I wonder what they mean by UA?

Diver dead - Fiji Times Online

MINISTER for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau has pleaded with divers to respect the ban on underwater breathing apparatus (UBA).

His plea comes after reports of another death of a diver, who is believed to have had faulty underwater apparatus.

It is understood the man was diving in waters off Bua last week when he experienced problems with his UBA.

The deceased was buried yesterday at Nasea Village in Macuata.

Relatives, who preferred anonymity, claimed this was not the first time for the diver to experience problems with diving equipment.

"He had already been admitted in hospital and was in a coma a few times before, but sadly never learnt his lesson to stop using UBA," the relative claimed.

 

[KevinNM]

Underwater Breathing Apparatus would be my guess.

 

[DandyDon]

Underwater Breathing Apparatus would be my guess.

Yes, it says that much in the story. Not clear on what they mean exactly.

 

[Dan]

Underwater Breathing Apparatus would be my guess.

As mentioned in the article above, that's what the Minister wants to ban. Certainly he's not referring to SCUBA gear, or is he? Could it be one of those 3 cf Spare Air?

 

[DandyDon]

As mentioned in the article above, that's what the Minister wants to ban. Certainly he's not referring to SCUBA gear, or is he? Could it be one of those 3 cf Spare Air?

Who knows? My guess would be some sort of homemade, floating Surface Supplied system, powered by an old car battery or a lawn mower engine. This excerpt is amazing...

"He had already been admitted in hospital and was in a coma a few times before, but sadly never learnt his lesson to stop using UBA," the relative claimed.

 

[Bubblesong]

The Ministry of Fisheries might be involved because it is fishery companies supplying equipment, but perhaps not sufficient training and supervision, to uneducated employees.
Call to monitor companies - Fiji Times Online
I still would like to know what type equipment is being banned, and is it only commercial fishers getting regulated.

Edit: I found a much longer article with photo that shows sea cucumber fisherman with unreal number of tanks, apparently they fish all night, plus they “blend air and nitrogen” so they are also using Nitrox.

 

[DandyDon]

plus they “blend air and nitrogen” so they are also using Nitrox.

If that was actually what they did, then they would decrease the oxygen in the blend. It's difficult to know what is really happening tho.

 

[Dan]

View attachment 430598 The Ministry of Fisheries might be involved because it is fishery companies supplying equipment, but perhaps not sufficient training and supervision, to uneducated employees.
Call to monitor companies - Fiji Times Online
I still would like to know what type equipment is being banned, and is it only commercial fishers getting regulated.

Edit: I found a much longer article with photo that shows sea cucumber fisherman with unreal number of tanks, apparently they fish all night, plus they “blend air and nitrogen” so they are also using Nitrox.

Is it a typo? You mean they blend "air and oxygen"

 

[Bubblesong]

If that was actually what they did, then they would decrease the oxygen in the blend. It's difficult to know what is really happening tho.

Is it a typo? You mean they blend "air and oxygen"

You’re correct, I mis-quoted “blending Oxygen and Nitrogen” here is the link with more info on the problem, and the quote comes in during discussion of the court case.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.sas....in-fijis-inshore-fishing-industry?hs_amp=true

 

[Dan]

Thanks for the link. Basically UBA is SCUBA without depth gauge and waterproof watch even without dive computer, as I gather from the articles above.

Those poor divers got bent for not following dive table, much less know how to use it if they do have one or even have no depth gauge, nor watch, nor dive computer.

$500/kg for sea cucumber would attract anyone to wipe out the world population of sea cucumber if there are no control / regulation. I see so few of them in Indonesia already

I used to enjoy looking at them, looking for imperial shrimps riding on them. Those scenes are rarely found now.

The new Indonesian Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti - Wikipedia has toughened the rules & sunk some of foreign fisherman boats from illegally fishing in Indonesian water.

Chinese may have wiped out their own sea cucumber population to go to as far as Fiji to get them.