Coast Guard calls for safety among lobster fishermen; six divers died last season

Thanks to the warm waters of the coming El Nino, the spiny lobster season, which started today, could be one of the best for the many recreational fishermen and divers.

Found from Point Conception in California to Magdalena Bay in Baja California, the spiny lobsters are expected to be plentiful. Lasting through March 16, the season began one minute after midnight, with enthusiasts at the ready.

But the rush to catch the clawless and tasty sea creatures could prove deadly to divers.

Last season, according to the Coast Guard, there were six lobster-fishing deaths and two severe injuries among divers near Catalina Island, off the Ventura County coast, near Long Beach, and in Mission Bay in San Diego.

The lobsters are nocturnal, hiding during the day, meaning that many of the divers venture underwater at night, increasing the possible risk.

Coast Guard officials in San Diego on Friday held a news conference to discuss safety rules for lobster diving: always dive with a buddy, plan your dive carefully, practice dropping your weight belt and inflating your buoyancy compensator, and see your doctor before diving.

One rule is paramount: Don’t overestimate your diving ability in your zeal to catch a lobster and join in the sport.

“Scuba diving is already an inherently dangerous activity,� said spokesman Petty Officer Rob Simpson. “Adding the complexity of diving for lobsters during day and night should only be done by experienced divers.�

In San Diego last year, a 38-year-old Carlsbad man diving for lobsters drowned despite efforts of friends to save him. A medical examiner’s report noted that tests indicated that “cannabis in his blood is above the average reported in people arrested for having impaired driving ability.�

The body was found in 23 feet of water in Mission Bay.