Open water safety addressed as search for missing boater continues
The Coast Guard suspended its search over the weekend for a missing shrimper in Vermilion Bay.
The Coast Guard is now working with local agencies to look for a missing Slidell man whose boat sank, authorities said.
Timothy Schouest Jr., a commercial fishermen and shrimper in Delcambre, said, “I know I’m safe because guess what? The water goes up, the boat goes up, the water goes down, the boat go down.”
Schouest has been a commercial shrimper for 45 years.
He says he feels most comfortable on his boat, adding that it’s it’s his life.
Chances are most shrimpers would say shrimping is their way of life, however, there is potential for danger out in open waters.
For boating safety on the water, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries suggests:
- Always wearing your life jacket and having a sober operator.
- DWI laws on the water are the same laws as the highway with the exact same penalties.
- It is mandatory for anyone 16 years of age or younger to wear a life jacket on a boat that is under 26 foot long.
- There must be enough life jackets on board for every person on the vessel.
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in recent history, Louisiana has one of the highest fatality rates among states with at least 100,000 registered boats.