# Pink buoy in Washington State **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 28, 2022, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489 "2022-08-28T21:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2022, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/1 "2022-08-28T21:45:52Z")
My wife got a couple of free fishing buoys (that she wants to use for decorations on the house) from a neighbour; one red and white for crabbing, and the other one pink. For some reason, I can’t find what the pink buoy is for. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/2 "2022-08-28T22:44:30Z")
It might not mean anything, other than being a distinctive bright color that the previous operator could easily spot and recognize at a distance. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/3 "2022-08-28T22:51:17Z")
In Washington I might guess that it may be salmon related. But this is not a factual answer. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2022, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/4 "2022-08-28T22:54:45Z")
I know that crab buoys must be red-and-white, and shrimp buoys must be yellow. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/5 "2022-08-29T04:52:50Z")
Does it look anything like this? > **[Awards Story 2018: NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoys](https://www.international-maritime-rescue.org/nsris-pink-rescue-buoys)** > > Winner of the IMRF 2018 Award for Innovation and Technology in Maritime SAR  The winner of the innovation and technology category is the NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoy. It is designed to be used by bystanders to provide an emergency flotation device to... ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/6 "2022-08-29T06:20:03Z")
That is what I thought about on reading the OP. I live in South Africa, near the coast, and often see them, even in fairly remote areas. I doubt it has caught on internationally yet, and I have seen fishing buoys in neon pink here, in the regular spherical shape. I would guess that neon pink is an easy colour to identify against sea water. FWIW anecdotally I buy balls for my dogs that are red, pink or yellow - not for their benefit; they are red/green colour blind - but for mine. I walk them on beaches and durable balls that float are expensive. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/7 "2022-08-29T11:39:08Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I walk them on beaches and durable balls that float are expensive. Our dog Kizzy loves her JollyBall which was originally a horse toy. It is extremely rugged, yet Kizzy has managed to destroy hers. They’re not cheap ($40 at our feedstore) but for a less aggressive chewer they are ideal. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/8 "2022-08-29T11:58:07Z")
I apologise to the OP for the slight hijack, but USD40 is ZAR674, the cost of, say 16 craft beers, or half a tank of diesel, or 22 Big Macs. For a toy that is still likely to get lost in the surf that is quite a bit! /hijack ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/9 "2022-08-29T12:01:06Z")
Still, a small price for Jolly. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/10 "2022-08-29T13:31:23Z")
No, it’s the same size and shape as a crab buoy; like this: [![](https://crabbinghq.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/buoy.jpg) ](https://crabbinghq.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/buoy.jpg) I’ll see if I can get a picture of the actual buoy later. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/11 "2022-08-29T16:24:11Z")
I used to crab just off shore from Port Hadlock, WA. Recreational crabbers used a variety of colors and designs to distinguish their buoys from others. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/12 "2022-08-29T16:59:49Z")
Per the [Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife](https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/gear-rules) [emphasis mine]: > **All crab gear buoys must be half red and half white in color** , and both colors need to be visible when fishing… > > **All shrimp pot buoys must be yellow in color.** ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/13 "2022-08-29T17:27:58Z")
A healthy respect for regulations and literacy isn’t really part of the Port Hadlock ethos. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/14 "2022-08-29T19:59:09Z")
Here’s a picture of the buoy. [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/ufn8oyQ.jpeg?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/JHZ5xh6) My wife hung it on the wall of the house, between two glass floats. I wasn’t going to say anything, but she took the buoy down this morning because she realised what it looked like. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/15 "2022-08-30T22:10:55Z")
Are you sure that it is an actual buoy and not a buoy-shaped fender? (There are pink fenders and they tend to be close to that color.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/16 "2022-08-31T16:47:25Z")
I’ve never seen a fender shaped like a buoy. I’ve only seen these: [![](https://towers4boats.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boat-Fenders.jpg) ](https://towers4boats.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boat-Fenders.jpg) and [![](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/D7R7K8/orange-fenders-at-the-side-of-a-boat-whilst-out-at-sea-D7R7K8.jpg) ](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/D7R7K8/orange-fenders-at-the-side-of-a-boat-whilst-out-at-sea-D7R7K8.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/17 "2022-08-31T18:47:17Z")
Not Washington State, but North Carolina specifies pink buoys for crab pots used by recreational fishermen: > **[Recreational Commercial Gear License | NC DEQ](https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries/licenses-permits-and-leases/recreational-fishing-licenses/recreational-commercial-gear-license)** > > The Recreational Commercial Gear License is an annual license that allows recreational fishermen to use limited amounts of commercial gear to harvest seafood > **Marking Requirements –** One solid hot pink buoy on each pot ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2022, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-buoy-in-washington-state/970489/18 "2022-08-31T23:58:59Z")
I have seen them at Bass Pro Shops. > **[Promar PVC Foam Float | Bass Pro Shops](https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/promar-pvc-foam-float?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS%7CShopping%7CSmart%7CFishing%7CGeneral%7CNAud%7CTopPerf%7CNMT&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjbyYBhCdARIsAArC6LJCWMBcf_zMXE302OkhdL1AqqSfuUiV9grpfN2wCXzUSo8ZKul9UTkaAuzxEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)** > > Whether used to mark crab traps or protect your boat's hull at dockside, a Promar PVC Foam Float is a great, economical choice. Made of resilient compression-molded, closed-cell PVC foam, this