What would you do?

[freefish]

(1)While crabbing at a local spot saw what was obviously two abandoned floats (slimy drink bottles). Still in same spot a week later looking more lonely. Turned out to be cheap Big W specials.

(2) While fishing in a high run area of the local river hooked a float. Could feel bouncing as I pulled it in. Seemed to be a pot rolled in its own rope. Sure enough light wire pot, rope & float covered in slime & growth. Been in water a long time.
What would you do? Leave them there or give them a good home. One lot had no name. The other belonged to a bloke that went to school with my brother but has left town (jail I think)
Made up for some of the ones I have lost over the years.

[devocean]

I would take them out if they have no name because they are supposed to be marked anyway. Plus they canbe quite dangerous especially to people fishing or boating around at night. I have hit a few before not good plus they snag up lures when trolling as well. So I would probably pull em out and dump them.

[Mick]

Good question!

This may sound weird but I believe that laws and regulations can sometimes be broken to do the right thing. If you're an honest person you will know what ir right and what is wrong whether it conflicts with laws or not.

Funny enough, I had a similar case not long ago. In my job I am responsible for the safe disposal and recycling of farm Chemical drumMuster drums. These drums (usually contain S7 Poisons - MEGA DEADLY) are not allowed to be disposed in normal ways, however I do know of people that use them as floats. If they are triple rinsed and contain no residue, I allow people to use them in other ways. Hence, it may be wrong not to properly dispose of the drums but if people do the right thing there isn't an issue.

Sorry for drifting off the subject a bit. I am basicaly saying trust yourself to do the right thing. If you think they should be removed, then remove them.

[ba229]

Yep if not marked with a name i reckon they are fair game after a week.

I am a stickler for the rule and follow then all the time so if someone else isn't then i guess it is their fault that they lose some gear.

Sounds a bit controversial but thats how i am

[SeaHunt]

If they were in the way or likely to be a hazard to fish I would dump them on the bank. I would not rebadge em and use them myself, basically because they are not mine.

[bugman]

You're first reponsibility is to report the found pot to it's owner if you can identify who it is.

The next part is up to you - throwing it up on the bank is an option so is keeping it for youself - only you can make that decision.

While recently near Shark Spit in moreton bay - a float literally ran into our boat - It was an old oil bottle with the owner's name gone except for the name of the suburb (nth brisbane area) - everything else was unreadable.

The pot contained 3 starfish only.

I kept it and I'm happy with the decision I made.

Bugman

[SeaHunt]

So how did the starfish taste. :-X

[Dug]

No Name = Fair Game!

[dfox]

Thats where my slimey pots got too ;D Ive been looking for them all week ???
Never mind freefish you can keep them. ;D

[Big_Kev]

I believe there is such a crime as "Stealing By Finding".
You would probably be expected to hand the abandoned pots in to the police if they have no owner.
But one would think a charge like that for an abondoned pot extreme.
But they clog up the waterways.
Its a hard call, I think I would chuck em on the bank.
Then I would get done for littering, IS THERE NO JUSTICE IN OUR SYSTEM.

[Lucky_Phill]

Not a hard call at all.

It was said earlier, the pots are a hazzard, and you are doing the right thing, that is, being a responsible boatie.





The term is ' Theft by Finding " and Kev is right, that is a law, but, how does one identifiy the owner, and is the owner going to come forward and say " that's mine, although I broke the law, by NOT having my details on the float etc ".

In the case that you described, remove the pots from the water, if you tidy them up and use them, it's up to you.


Throwing them up onto the bank, as alluded to above by someone ? #:o # #::) #is littering ! #DOH ! #that would also create a hazard, and break the law.

Cheers #Phill

[DICER]

Mick....I am going to play devil's advocate.... How do you know that there is no residue?

Triple rinsed is good, but a lot of shedule 7 poisons are also ones which are accumulative in the environment (and triple rinsing may also create more waste). Do you label or mark these drums in a specific manner?

Secondly, I believe that it's always unwise to reuse any drum, storage container or beaker specifically labelled/designed for chemical storage/use unless 1) toxicity is very low AND 2) all identification can be removed (eg. sodium hydroxide/caustic soda). Likewise chemicals should only be stored in the appropriate container.

I give you an example of a situation. A father stores pesticide in a soft drink bottle in the shed and appropriately labels it so. But somehow it finds its way into the fridge in the house. Sometime later on a hot night, the father thirsty, goes to the fridge finds a soft drink bottle and takes several mouthfuls before noticing something wrong. This is a real story..... and I guess I'm careful because I work in the lab. And you are right, responsible action is part of the equation.

Back to the topic though....I have hit an unmarked float (with new pot) and busted a shear-pin in an busy section of river. That pot was pulled up by the next boat and chucked to the side of the river. I would have done the same. Extremely old pots without a name - I would dump in the nearest bin no questions asked.

DICER

[Remo]

I have got a couple myself dragging lures around, dropped a grappling hook down to free them up, instead i pulled up a crab pot. One was lucky to be a week old.
No floats, one the really rust one had a few feet of rope on it, could have been cut by a prop.
oh well mine now

[straddie]

If you "find" something it should be given to the police. If unclaimed after 3 months? I believe they give it to the finder anyways. Keeping it yourself without allowing any chance of it to be claimed is theft.

If you are trully concerned that it is a boating/safety hazard get on your mobile and report it to the authorities such as, water police, boating and fisheries, harbour master etc etc.

Pulling other peoples pots is like playing russian roulette, there are loaded barrels waiting to go off in your direction. If you knew the dollars some guys have lost and are still losing in stolen pots and the weapons some of them carry you wouldn't even think about checking whether the name and address was on a pot.