Scooters for blowing

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Oonej

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Location
Florida
# of dives
I just don't log dives
Hey guys,

I know people have mixed opinions on it not being useful etc, but I'm mainly trying to find the legal issues to this.

I have never used a scooter to physically blow silt to find teeth. I've contacted FWC, FWC Law Enforcement, FWC Director, etc... all of which could not find a statute or legal response to why we were told its illegal.

I was looking at buying one, haven't yet (mainly due to red tide). Not necessarily for silt blowing, more for towing out further from the beach.

Can anyone point me in the correct location as to why its illegal?

I've heard in the past its considered 'dredging'

Thanks for your information!
 
Sounds to me like whoever told you that just didn't like you. If they were trying to make an argument that using a scooter to blow loose dirt away from a tooth is "dredging" without a permit, I think that argument wouldn't hold up in court.

Many of us fan the dirt away from piles of "stuff" in the boneyard. If you had a scooter, it seems like a reasonable idea to try using it in this way... I don't own a scooter, but wouldn't it be very difficult to not get moved around while trying to blow the dirt off stuff with a scooter?
 
There are adjustable ones that help prevent getting moved around. Its not a new practice, a lot of people use them up north (especially in the NC ledges).

The dive charter I use said FWC approached them and told them to report any one using a scooter to blow silt.
 
In the movie Into the Blue, they used scooters to bow sand away from shipwreck artifacts.

I tried it in a very silty area to see if I could get a better view of vents potentially leading to caves below. I had to be seriously planted to do it. As I knew it would considering the nature of that silt, it created instant zero visibility,. I kept it on for a while and then went to the surface, planning to come back the next day to check out the results. Unfortunately, one thing led to another and I did not return for two months. By then it all looked like undisturbed silt again.
 
I was with guys in NC who used them just fine to blow out areas.
I'm aware of the zero visibility, but still trying to find why we were told it is illegal lol :)
 
Here's an old thread on this subject
Holes
 
so in conclusion , not illegal?
When talking to the FWC there are 3 terms they mention.

An activity can be:
1. Legal - It's written as legal (you may catch 6 lobsters per day)
2. Illegal - It's written as illegal (You may NOT catch egg bearing lobsters)
3 Unregulated - It's NOT written, so therefore it's unregulated (Using huge bright lights to hunt lobsters at night is 'unregulated")

Scooters underwater are unregulated.
 
When talking to the FWC there are 3 terms they mention.

An activity can be:
1. Legal - It's written as legal (you may catch 6 lobsters per day)
2. Illegal - It's written as illegal (You may NOT catch egg bearing lobsters)
3 Unregulated - It's NOT written, so therefore it's unregulated (Using huge bright lights to hunt lobsters at night is 'unregulated")

Scooters underwater are unregulated.

Thanks Johnoly.

Since its not written, you CAN do it, although maybe not advisable?
 
You likely get the stink eye but nothing would stick in court. It's legal to take marine life at Blue Heron Bridge - but I'd be giving you a boat load of crap if I saw you doing it.
 
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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