likestodive001
Registered
I've been diving in Cozumel since 1987 and have over a thousand dives there since. There is absolutely no question that divers are hard on the reef - especially in the last 10 years or so. The number of divers on the reef on any given day is staggering. However, limiting divers in one area will only increase the numbers in others and totally ignores the largest cause - pollution and nutrients from Cozumel and other locations. The cruise piers, cruise boats, golf course, runoff, etc have been a disaster. Closing the reefs may help a small amount in some areas but will damage others and do nothing for the major cause. Sadly, the reefs are probably doomed over time. It would be very painful to Cozumel to fix this (severely limit cruise boats, huge fine ($250M - something unthinkable) for discharging waste into the sea by cruise boats in any location, close the golf course or not allow fertilizer there or anywhere else on the island, etc), capturing and cleaning as much runoff from town as possible, etc. I don't see that happening. Sad.