Blue Heron Bridge Fishing

[johndiver999]

I do not complain. What I'm saying it would be beneficial for everyone if fishermen's and scuba divers' activities are divided into separate areas. I'd already explained to you why your symmetrical argument about the boats does not work here so I am surprised you keep parroting my words. "Rights" are also irrelevant here. Your rights end quite often when they jeopardize someone's (or even your own) safety. Have you ever seen a highway bridge with a sign "no fishing from the bridge"? So there'll be one more, big deal.

I disagree. You are sooo completely off base. You (and I) have the right to engage in (big boy) activities that are potentially harmful or dangerous. We have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. If swimming under the ocean or climbing steep rocks or flying experimental aircraft bring citizens happiness, then we should NOT be looking to government to decide what is best for us or to constrain our happiness (although maybe just a little wrt to aircraft over people's houses).

We have the right to engage in dangerous activity and we should take the responsibility for those actions, rather than call on big brother to keep us all safe from every potential harm.

 

[tarponchik]

I disagree. You are sooo completely off base. You (and I) have the right to engage in (big boy) activities that are potentially harmful or dangerous. We have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. If swimming under the ocean or climbing steep rocks or flying experimental aircraft bring citizens happiness, then we should NOT be looking to government to decide what is best for us or to constrain our happiness (although maybe just a little wrt to aircraft over people's houses).

We have the right to engage in dangerous activity and we should take the responsibility for those actions, rather than call on big brother to keep us all safe from every potential harm.

This is just banalities. Yes, we have the rights to jaywalk and take the responsibility when hit by a truck, and so on. But the Big Bro not only wrote traffic laws but keeps enforcing them, like we are a bunch of silly kids.

 

[Lostdiver71]

Actually the signs were removed because the agency that installed them did not go through the proper procedures to ban fishing on the bridge.

 

[Jcp2]

I disagree. You are sooo completely off base. You (and I) have the right to engage in (big boy) activities that are potentially harmful or dangerous. We have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. If swimming under the ocean or climbing steep rocks or flying experimental aircraft bring citizens happiness, then we should NOT be looking to government to decide what is best for us or to constrain our happiness (although maybe just a little wrt to aircraft over people's houses).

We have the right to engage in dangerous activity and we should take the responsibility for those actions, rather than call on big brother to keep us all safe from every potential harm.

Does that include fiscal responsibility? A bad accident with long term disability on an underinsured individual means that I end up taking responsibility for that through higher taxes or higher premiums or less coverage.

 

[uncfnp]

I wonder how long it will be before someone takes them out?

Surveillance Cameras Installed at bridge

New developments in the ongoing dispute between scuba divers and fishermen on and under the bridge to Singer Island. Surveillance cameras have now been installed on the bridge on Blue Heron Boulevard spanning the water between Phil Foster Park and Singer Island. The bridge is a popular fishing...

cbs12.com

 

[PBcatfish]

I dive the bridge. I launch boats at the ramps. I fish from the pier & the edges of the park. I net bait there too. Over the years, I have had only one interaction with someone who was engaged in a different activity that I would consider somewhat confrontational. It really wasn't that bad.

I was netting bait that day. A diver swam under the fishing pier. When He surfaced, I yelled to him to inform him that he was under a fishing pier, but he did not respond. When he got out of the water, I walked up & said - "hey, just so you know, that's a fishing pier over there, & hooks are usually hanging from it." He barked back "I know that!" in a loud voice with an arrogant tone. I then replied, "OK, I just wanted to be sure that you knew that there are usually hooks over there" & walked away. I would later see that same guy working in a local diver shop where he seemed to be in charge. I made my purchase & left quietly.

That's the worst I have seen so far. From my perspective, people at Phil Foster Park/Blue Heron Bridge seem to share the resources effectively for the most part.

Edit:
Actually, there was one other incident. It was my fault. I had launched a small boat at the ramp & snuck under the small (east) bridge, not seeing a line that was being fished from the bridge. I swerved to avoid it at the last second, when I finally saw it after it dragged across my center console, then yelled an apology to the fisherman on the bridge. He looked a little frustrated, but didn't give me any real grief.

 

[PBcatfish]

What I don't get is why the park and bridge are popular fishing sites. I almost never see any game fish large enough to make it worth keeping (not even factoring if it is of legal size). Maybe during incoming or outgoing tide they have some luck but I have yet to even see anyone bring in a fish. I have seen plenty of fishing lines, lures and hooks caught on various structures.

The bridge/pier area is over-fished. Occasionally, I see something come up there that is worth keeping, but it is the exception rather than the rule. The spot gets a lot of action because it is free & easy access. Local people with few resources, like those who are allowed to fish without a license because they are on food stamps, often don't have a lot of other options, so they fish where they can. If you kayak 100 yards past the edge of casting range from the pier, the fishing gets a lot better, but because few there have a yak to help them reach out the extra 100 yards, that's not likely to change soon.

 

[PBcatfish]

...They don't know the significance of this dive site for divers and for our marine ecosystem in general.

They don't understand that divers cannot see a line or hook in the water, typically until it is too late.

They don't understand that "hooking" a diver can literally kill them.

Some of them actually believe that divers get hooked on purpose just to spite them....

I agree that most fishermen probably don't understand the significant diving opportunity there.

I can usually see monofilament line & I can certainly see braid. I can't see floro. I have sometimes picked up a lure to take home, then found floro attached between it & a fishing rod. My bad on that one.

The gear that is normally used for fishing near the bridge is not heavy tackle. I'm not going to say that it's impossible for it to kill a diver, but it doesn't seem that likely to me.

I don't know any diver that would get hooked on purpose. I do know of people in Miami that cast sinkers at divers & boaters who get too close to their fishing spot. I haven't seen that in Palm Beach County yet.

Again, from my experience, people at BHB, with different interests, usually tend to figure out how to get along pretty well.