Editing Buoy (section)

=== Marker buoys ===
Buoys are often used to temporarily or permanently mark the positions of underwater objects:
* '''Lobster trap buoys''' are brightly colored buoys marking lobster trap locations so [[lobster fishing|lobster fishers]] can find their lobster traps. Each fisher has a unique colour marking or registration number.  They are allowed to haul only their own traps, and must display their buoy colour or license number on their boat so law enforcement officials know what they should be hauling. The buoys are brightly coloured with highly visible numbers so they can be seen in poor visibility conditions like [[rain]], [[fog]] and [[sea smoke]].<ref>Cobb, John N., [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17475/17475-h/17475-h.htm#7 "The Lobster Fishery of Maine"], Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, Vol. 19, Pages 241–265, 1899; from [[Project Gutenberg]]</ref><ref>Taft, Hank; Taft, Jan, [http://www.mainecoastguide.com/ ''A Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast and the Maine Coast Guides for Small Boats''], Peaks Island, Maine : Diamond Pass Publishing, 5th Edition, 2009. Cf. Chapter: [http://www.mainecoastguide.com/sidebars/buoys.html "BUOY, OH BUOY"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118013143/http://www.mainecoastguide.com/sidebars/buoys.html |date=2008-11-18 }}, and Chapter: [http://www.mainecoastguide.com/intro/fshrmn.html "Fisherman, Lobsterboats, and Working Harbors"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320212945/http://www.mainecoastguide.com/intro/fshrmn.html |date=2012-03-20 }}</ref>
* '''[[Fishing float]]s''' are a type of lightweight buoys used in [[angling]] to mark the position of the [[fishing bait|bait]]ed [[fish hook|hook]] suspended underneath, and as a [[bite indicator]] to signal the angler any changes in the hook's underwater status.

==== Diving ====
Several types of marker buoys may be used by [[Underwater diving|divers]]:
* [[Decompression buoy|'''Decompression buoys''']] are deployed by submerged [[Scuba diving|SCUBA]] divers to mark their position underwater whilst doing [[decompression stops]]
* [[Diving shot|'''Shot buoys''']] mark dive sites for the boat safety cover of [[scuba divers]] so they can descend to dive sites more easily in conditions of low visibility or [[tide|tidal currents]] and more safely do [[decompression stops]] on their ascents.
* [[Surface marker buoy|'''Surface marker buoys''']] are taken on dives by [[scuba divers]] to mark their positions underwater.<ref name=Davies>{{cite journal |author=Davies, D |title=Diver location devices |journal=Journal of the [[South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society]] |volume=28 |issue=3 |year=1998 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/5968 |access-date=2013-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519022556/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/5968 |archive-date=2009-05-19 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
* '''Dive site demarcation buoys''' indicate that divers are working in the marked area, to warn passing vessels to stay clear.