When you learn to dive, you learn about the many hazards you’ve got to avoid while enjoying the many wonders the underwater world has to offer. You learn to tow a flag when diving, so boaters and fishermen know you’re there; what you certainly don’t count on is an angry angler grabbing your line and dragging you to the surface as if you were nothing more than an old piece of bait. That’s what happened to Alison Johnson, though; here, we’ll see what happened when a tough old fisherman decided to take the law into his own hands.
A Bad Day of Fishing
Alison Johnson is a biologist with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission’s Marine Research Institute. The institute focuses on assessing and restoring ecosystems, and it studies both freshwater and marine fisheries. In addition, biologists with the Institute study terrestrial wildlife, red tides, and endangered species. Thanks to them, important information science is gathered, data is analyzed, and everyone with a connection to the ocean – fishing enthusiasts included – benefits.
Little did Johnson know what would happen to her as she collected data on spawning Mutton Snapper on a lovely May day in 2012. As she worked near Western Dry Rocks, which is a popular Key West dive and snorkeling site, a 74-year-old angler named Donald A. Bamford arrived. Immediately angered by the fact that Johnson’s dive flag was bobbing about in his favorite fishing spot, he made a horribly irrational choice, grabbing the flag and hauling the surprised biologist to the surface.
The flag Johnson was using was attached to a reel she was working to unwind when the incident began. When the fisherman pulled on the line, causing the spool to unravel, the cord snagged her BC. Critics state she should have simply cut the line; however, before she had time to think, she was nearly at the surface.
Johnson had been working at a depth of about 55 feet, and since it took Bamford just about a minute to drag her to the surface, she was not able to decompress. Though she insisted that she needed to dive back down and decompress before discussing the matter, Bamford continued to argue. Witnesses said that the fisherman was angry that the biologist was “ruining his fishing spot.” Eventually, though, Johnson did convince Bamford to let go of the line so she could dive back down; by the time this happened, it was too late and she was developing a severe headache.
Ultimately, Johnson made her way back to the research boat and was treated by coworkers while being transported back to shore. She was then treated for decompression sickness symptoms.
Meanwhile, Bamford, who was previously cited for careless vessel operation, was arrested. Not only was the US Coast Guard called to begin investigating the case, ultimately deciding it would have to be handled by the state of Florida because the incident occurred in waters within the state’s operational boundaries, NOAA investigators also became involved because Johnson is a FWC employee.
Donald Bamford was charged with misdemeanor battery, and was detained for a short time at the Monroe County Detention Center located on Stock Island. After he posted $2,000 bail, he was released. Luckily for both parties in the case, Bamford’s rash decision did not cause worse injury.