Trespassing Fishermen Don’t Care About Safety Rules

In the port of Niigata, there is a concrete breakwater that extends 3.5 kilometers into the Sea of Japan. It offers better fishing opportunities than the average dock, but it’s position is quite dangerous. High winds and big waves crash against the breakwater, and people have been washed over the side and killed. Because of safety concerns, authorities built a fence that is intended to keep people from walking out onto the breakwater.

However, as this report shows, there are lots of fishermen who value good fishing over personal safety. They ignore the “no trespassing” signs and climb over the fence:

Many of them even bring bicycles under or over the fence. They don’t seem to care when news cameras are around, and can get quite angry when confronted about their behavior. One man rages at a reporter, saying that his taxes helped pay for the breakwater, and that hundreds of other people also go fishing on the breakwater.

If you search on Google, you can easily find webpages maintained by fishing fans sharing their experiences and offering advice on the best times to go fishing on the breakwater.

The Niigata government has made the fence taller, but that proved to be pointless. It just makes the task of climbing over the fence take a few seconds longer. They have also tried opening up a shorter breakwater to the public and providing safety vests in that area, but a lot of the trespassers seem to prefer the longer breakwater. Quite a few of them shamelessly climb over the fence while ignoring staff who are pleading for them to go over to the safer fishing area.

My proposed solution: impose a 50,000 yen fine on anyone who trespasses on the longer breakwater. Regularly send police to the area so they can issue tickets. If it doesn’t stop all of the illegal fishers, the hefty fines should at least help raise some money for government programs that might help less stupid people.

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Kevin not kevin

My proposed solution: Let Darwin take care of the fishermen.
Piglet

They obviously take a risk but it is their own responsibility. It looks like the Nanny-state is growing in Japan as well as in Europe.
The role of the government is to inform people about the risks, but why fine trespassers? You cannot protect people against their own will or stupidity. You wouldn’t want Japan to become a welfare-State like UE.
http://www.achifaifa.wordpress.com Achifaifa

They could just put an iron thread all over the breakwater, so people can tie themselves there and not get killed by waves… It would also be cheaper than that fence :S

vonskippy

Yeah, there’s nothing better then tying yourself off to the breakwater, having a big wave wash you off the top, and then be pounded against a big concrete pier time and time again as the waves keep you from climbing back on top.

Yeah that’s a great idea.

Rude

ah Japanese goodwill. It’s lovely to think the best of people.

You know what keeps people out? barbed wired.
Damien

Piglet got the right approach, it’s their lives, their decisions. Just put up a sign that says “Dangerous, risk of death!” If they still chose to go, it’s their business. Fines and police control is not the solution. If they value their lives more than catching some small fish, that’s their decision!
Level3

But the other thing is, I assume most of the fishermen go during calm weather when giant waves aren’t breaking. Is it still dangerous then? Just put up a notice “Any Tsuri-baka rescued by the Japan Coast Guard and found to have been fishing from this pier will be tossed back in the ocean.”

Then spend more time on preventing real crimes that hurt innocent people.
Karisu

If they want to fish there let them fish there. It’s ridiculous to try and stop them.
curiousetwofer

two words for them:

electried fences

okay, if that doesn’t work, then just one word: landmines.

Tora

Electrtified fences cost money to keep electrified…. razor wire or broken bottles on the top will work wonders…

iago

I heard liter PET bottles filled with water will keep them away.

Dev

I see the design flaws.

Instead of a grid fence design, they should redesign it to be straight jail-like bars between two support bars. No footholds in between, or support bars in the middle at measurements that would make climbing up impossible/extremely difficult.

The addition of extra rocks to the sides to prevent access on the sides, and the use of a angled barrier on top facing down towards the “safe side” of the breakwater to top it off.

Or just slap on two huge sheets of iron sheeting to the existing fence and then top it off with an angled barrier will suffice.

vonskippy

Then get some Japanese Comedians, a wacky announcer or two, some theme music, put some cheesy Styrofoam fish out on the pier, and a film crew and you got yourself the makings of some good Japanese TV.

Lord Metroid

Some people surf in high waves, some people climb some people eat fugu and other fish in the high seas. One has to let people do dangerous things, it is part of the human existense.

Karisu

Some people can’t wrap their heads around that though and want to just be nanny’s to the world.

Trespassing Fishermen Don’t Care About Safety Rules

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