Minimum training for urchin collecting?

[Scared Silly]

Some in our group are saying this is too excessive and we would lose too many people. My argument is that I need some insurance that people know what they're doing and gave the comfort level to do that job.

You wrote insurance but meant assurance. However, you should be thinking insurance. What is the group and what is the liability?

Having some minimum requirements such as X local dives is reasonable. I would not get hung up on certs. But then again, insurance may dictate the requirements.

 

[Maolli]

Since urchins are basically small round balls with sharp spines why not make prospective urchin collection divers pass a prerequisite course that is offered at a nearby country club and involves retrieval of a predetermined minimum number of errantly hit golf balls from water traps?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’m curious what problems are you having with the new divers? Are they not doing the job, are they causing environmental damage, are you concerned for their safety, are you worried about getting sued?

Is this an organized project with some status and leadership? Is there any liability, and do you have any authority to keep outside divers from simply collecting urchins on their own? Sorry for all the questions, I’m just curious about the nature of the relationship between you and these newer divers.

As an example, when I used to live in TX, there was a spring that needed constant removal of invasive species, and the land was owned by a university. So they had an organized course that anyone who wanted to dive and do maintenance needed to take. That way they evaluated every diver regardless of background or experience. They were able to do this because they had the authority to restrict access to the spring. It actually worked out pretty well. And it sounds somewhat similar in task type, this was all very shallow diving and required decent buoyancy control while working.

I don’t understand the somewhat arbitrary requirement of AOW or number of dives. There are good new divers and bad ones, and there are good experienced divers and bad ones. When I used to DM in the Caribbean, the worst and most dangerous diver I ever guided was an OW instructor. Go figure!

Yes, all of the above.
they are not doing the job well and are bringing back way to much by-catch and the wrong urchins, their quantity is not what it should be for the amount of air they are using. This throws off our averages when we do data reports.
They are wrecking balls underwater and sustain a lot of urchin spine injuries. They lose a lot of gear, they are nervous and are not fluent enough divers to handle the added task loading.
I do worry about their safety. If one of them inflates a lift bag and their reg takes off on a freeflow that they don't know how to stop and or they get entangled in the lift bag straps and get towed up and embolize. Yes a lot can go wrong.
As far as getting sued. Before I comment too much about how I could get sued and how to protect myself, I need to consult with my attorney buddy (who is a presence here BTW) so I know what I'm talking about.
As far as I know right now, they have to prove negligence. By not having training and not vetting divers carefully makes me look negligent because I knew the risks and chose to blow it off so as not to "offend" anyone. By not fully explaining and having people understand the risks and the job and providing a test both written and physical they did bot fully understand what they were getting into and I led them into that situation. If it wasn't for my actions and providing an opportunity to participate they would not have been there to get injured or killed. Insurance or no insurance that is the bottom line. I will not be able to get insurance the way we are doing it now. They will require training before any underwriter will accept that risk. And then it will not be cheap. Who pays for that? I would have to charge for the class and I would have to charge an access fee for them to be free volunteers just so I could cover costs. Out of my pocket? No way, can't afford it, this is where I quit.
It would start to look like a dive club.

Keith Rootseart of the California Kelp Restoration Corps. (a non profit org) who was/is in charge of the Tankers Reef project in Monterey had to do just this. That's why they had to have a special class just to go around and smash the purps with welding hammers and they had to vet divers before they were even eligible.