Love it or hate it, lobster mini-season is set for Wednesday and Thursday, July 29 and 30.
The two-day event allows recreational divers to catch up to six lobsters per day before the regular season opens on Aug. 6.
But mini-season comes with risks, as swarms of divers prowl the waters beneath boats piloted by people of varying experience and ability.
A group of residents from Key West and the Lower Keys are using this year’s mini-season as a way to honor the memory of a popular resident who died in May, while freediving near Little Palm Island off Big Pine.
Jocelyn Brown was 27 when she was fatally struck by a boat’s propeller despite properly displaying a diver-down flag from the highest point of her boat to warn nearby vessels of her presence in the water below.
Per Florida law, vessels must stay at least 300 feet away from a displayed diver-down flag in open water, or 100 feet within channels or constrained water bodies. If passing the marker within the required radius, they must slow to the lowest speed necessary to maintain steering control.
Brown’s death quickly generated a widespread show of support and grief across the diving and fishing communities in the Florida Keys.
“Words are hard to find as our community grieves the loss of a beautiful soul, Jocelyn Brown,” wrote dive shop Freedive Key West in a Facebook post. “A devoted mama. A talented diver. A light in this community. Gone because a boat operator ignored a dive flag displayed less than 75 feet away. That is not an accident. That is negligence.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues to investigate the matter and no arrests have been made.
Meanwhile, as this year’s mini-season promises to pack Keys nearshore waters, a group of residents are honoring Brown’s memory by distributing more than 1,000 flyers reminding boaters to “slow down, look around” and be aware that divers are down below.
“We’re starting a grassroots campaign to put these flyers all over at marinas, boat launches, restaurants, tackle shops, everywhere so people can be aware, slow down, look around and make sure there’s not a diver,” said Key West business owner Paul Menta. ”Things like this that happened to Jocelyn happen more than anyone thinks, and there are so many close calls. We figured this is a good way to honor her memory and get people to pay attention. We want to show our locals and visitors that we as a community are doing something to try to keep everyone safe while reminding our visitors to be safe when they come down here to dive for lobsters.”
