DEFRA shuts down charter boat diving in England
June 11, 2020 – 16:39 Posted in section: NEWS
The British Diving Safety Group has noted the guidance issued earlier today – 11 June 2020 – by the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).Day boat diving the Farne Islands, EnglandRosemary E Lunn | The Underwater Marketing Company
DEFRA has published “guidance on inland and coastal boating and protecting yourself and others from coronavirus“. The guidance includes the section “Skippered day-boat hire and skippered day charter hire.”
This advice is pertinent to diving in England.
It appears that none of our members have been consulted on this guidance. BDSG
The Government guidance states that “operators should not allow skippered day boat hire or skippered day charter boat hire.”
A BDSG spokesman stated “that it appears that none of our members have been consulted on this guidance.”
The BDSG is currently seeking clarification from DEFRA on this matter.
Fact File
The British Diving Safety Group (BDSG) was formed in 2002 to promote safe diving practices amongst the British sport diving community.
It is chaired by the RNLI. The group has broad representation, with all of the UK diver training agencies, the HSE and the MCA having a seat at the table.
These organisations regularly meet in order to work towards a common goal; to make diving safer. By sharing and analysing incident data, devising safety initiatives and then promoting them to divers, the group has a broad influence on the recreational diving community. The comprehensive nature of the BDSG, reflecting as it does all of the significant interests in the British sport diving scene means that it is uniquely positioned to significantly influence diving safety.
BDSG Members
The members are
- BHA (British Hyperbaric Association)
- BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club)
- DAN Europe (Divers Alert Network)
- DDRC Healthcare (Diving Diseases Research Centre)
- Diving Ireland (Irish Underwater Council)
- GADAP (Global Association of Diving Assistance Providers)
- GUE (Global Underwater Explorers)
- HSE Diving Inspectorate (Health & Safety)
- IANTD (International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers)
- IDEST (Inspectorate for Diving Equipment, Servicing and Testing)
- PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)
- PBA (Professional Boatman’s Association)
- PSAI Europe (Professional Scuba Association International)
- RAID UK & Malta (Rebreather Association of International Divers)
- RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute)
- SAA (Sub Aqua Association)
- ScotSac (Scottish Sub Aqua Club)
- SITA (Scuba Industries Trade Association)
- SSI (Scuba Schools International)
- TDI / SDI (Technical Diving International / Scuba Diving International)
- UKIDS (Inland Dive Sites)
- UK DMC (Diving Medical Committee)