Does anyone know what the State Statute is that is posted on the sign at Square?

[DiverQueen]

Hello Everyone.
Now that the dive season is upon us once again...I'm curious to know what that State Statute is that is posted on the sign at the dive entry area?  I just want to make sure I'm not breaking any rules!  Thank goodness diving is a Legal addiction!
Lisa

[wan2Bcaver]

I searched the MN statutes and this seems to be the only relevant scuba diving statute:

86B.601 Scuba diving.

    Subdivision 1.    Flag required.  (a) A person who swims
in waters of the state, except designated swimming areas under
section 86B.311, subdivision 4, while wearing or carrying a
breathing apparatus allowing the swimmer to breathe while under
water, except a snorkel that is not attached to an artificial
container of compressed air, must display a diver's flag above
the surface of the water.

    (b) A person who places a diver's flag must remain within
50 feet of the flag, measured on the surface of the water.

    © A person shall not place a diver's flag where it will
obstruct navigation.

    (d) A diver's flag shall measure at least 15 inches
horizontally and 12 inches vertically, and both sides shall have
a red-colored background bisected diagonally by a three-inch
wide white stripe having its upper end adjacent to the flagstaff.

    (e) A diver's flag shall be displayed in a vertical plane
extended from a rigid flagstaff equipped to maintain the upper
edge of the flag at least 30 inches above the water surface.

    (f) A diver's flag may be reflectorized or fluorescent
provided the entire surface is uniformly reflectorized or
fluorescent.

    (g) A diver's flag may be anchored or secured to the bottom
when a safety hazard would result from towing the flag.

    (h) If at the discretion of the diver it would be safer and
more visible, the flag may be displayed on a watercraft.  If the
flag is displayed on the watercraft, the craft must be at anchor
or, if not at anchor, attended by a diver or a person appointed
by the diver to tend the craft.  Only watercraft displaying an
official diver's flag are authorized in the diving area. 

    Subd. 2.    Group diving.  (a) Not more than four divers
may dive under one flag. 

    (b) If a group of divers is operating in a contained area,
the perimeter must be marked and be outside of the normal area
of navigation.  The markings shall consist of the official
diver's flag and be placed on the perimeter of the diving area
at intervals not exceeding 150 feet. 

    Subd. 3.    Light required for night diving.  A person
may not Previous MatchscubaNext Match or skin dive in waters of this state from one hour
after sunset to sunrise on the following day unless the diver
has in possession a diver's light that is visible from above the
water at a distance of at least 150 feet, except that a diver's
light is not required in an emergency, salvage, repair, or
construction operation. 

    Subd. 4.    Night diving with spear prohibited.  A
person may not Previous MatchscubaNext Match or skin dive while in possession of a spear
from sunset to sunrise


Hope this helps!
wan2bcaver (also a law student)

[DiverQueen]

Thanks Dude,
I did finally go to the Library and look it up the day that mnscuba had the server malfuntion...If I couldn't get on by my computer, I'd try the library so I knew for sure where that problem was.  And I could never remember what the statute was so I had to make another trip to Square Lake to check it out!!
Thanks again.
LW

[wan2Bcaver]

LW -

just in case you want to look up any other Minnesota Statutes they are all published online here:

The federal statutes, constitution, ammendments, and some state statutes are located here:

Both are free to use. The Minnesota Statutes can be looked up by topic, searched by keyword, or you can browse the table of contents. Hope this helps on any future statutes you or others may want to read. I love researching new topics so if you ever have a legal question don't hesitate to ask. (although I don't give legal advice, contact a lawyer for that - this is a caveat every lawyer (or student) needs to state in order to not create a lawyer-client relationship)