Kata Reef Roped Off For Swimmer, Diver Safety

[webfact]

Kata Reef roped off for swimmer, diver safety

Phuket Gazette

The Marine Safety Center donated staff and resources to the effort. Photo: Go Eco Phuket

PHUKET: -- A local contingent of marine safety officials and conservationists have installed a “reef line” around the North Kata Reef to protect swimmers, scuba divers and snorkelers from boat traffic and to prevent damage to the reef.

Staff from the Marine Safety Center and volunteers from the environmental conservation organization, Go Eco Phuket, joined forces with local government agencies to complete the task on November 24 to 25.

The news follows a Russian tourist suffering serious injuries after being hit by a parasailing boat near the north end of Kata Beach on December 2 last year.

The project to install the reef line aims to avoid similar incidences occurring.

“It’s important that we set the buoy line out at the beginning of each high season in order to keep the jet-skis, longtail boats and speedboats from damaging it, as well as to prevent them from colliding with divers and snorkelers,” Go Eco Phuket member Joe Blasy told the Phuket Gazette.

“Much of Kata Reef lies just a few centimeters below the surface at low tide. We secured 10 mooring lines in six to 10 meters of water,” he explained.

Buoy lines were strung between the 10 mooring lines in order to clearly mark off the reef area.

Jet-skis and longtail boat operators were briefed about the need to steer clear of the buoy lines during a short meeting, explained Go Eco Phuket organizer Kerry Leach.

“There is now an area where tourists can enjoy the reef without being scared to death of boat traffic,” she said.

“We would really like to thank the Marine Safety Center staff for all of their assistance – we couldn’t have done it without them,” Ms Leach added.

Mr Blasy explained that the Go Eco Phuket marine conservation group have many more projects in various stages of progress.

“We have a lot of ideas on which direction to take Go Eco Phuket, including, but not limited to, the education of Thai youths on the importance of conservationism and environmental consciousnesses, fishing net ‘buy-back’ programs and even sinking more artificial reefs in the area,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...fety-19648.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-12-06

[konfuzed]

Can't there just be a blanket ban on motorized boats 100 meters from shore in swimming areas?

3 birds one stone?

[cheshiremusicman]

Can't there just be a blanket ban on motorized boats 100 meters from shore in swimming areas?

3 birds one stone?

And, who is going to 'ENFORCE' the 100m blanket ban? Get real;, cordon/rope off the areas with buoys, then at least, the stupid morons who don't give a toss about other peoples safety, will be at the very least 'inconvenienced' by the markers.

I would like to see the blxxdy jet ski's kept at least 200 metres from the shore because of the noise they make!

[NomadJoe]

Can't there just be a blanket ban on motorized boats 100 meters from shore in swimming areas?

3 birds one stone?

The rope does help with the jet ski's and speed boats, as they won't go over it, but the longtails still can and do go over it regularly just lifting their props up as they do. Yesterday I had one moor literally on top of my "diver below" float and flag and tie off to the bouy line. There is just no concept of staying away from divers or swimmers, and enforcement is non-existent although there is Thai law about operating close to shore and divers/swimmers, but like everything else here the law is completely ignored and not enforced. It will take some polite education with the long tail "captains" to get them to keep some distance from the divers. When you see long tails and jet ski's buzzing by 3-5m from divers and swimmers at speed, and the longtain "captain" and jet ski operators are wearing "lifeguard" shirts, as I saw today, it really shows the job of educating them will be very, very challenging. I fear it will take an accident, probably more than one, for the issue to be addressed.

[12DrinkMore]

You will see pigs soaring high over the Andaman Sea before the longtail boat drivers/jet ski operators and the tourists who rent them will exhibit any increase in brain usage.