Abuse of marine life by Scuba Schools of America.

[drbill]

gj62 - Understand yours. I'm not against commercial harvest either (I eat seafood that was taken by some commercial outfit). However, I think the "educational value" of breaking urchins open to attract garibaldi and other fish really is a very negative message, especially since you can attract them almost as easily by banging a few rocks together (just make sure you're not crushing any encrusting forms on the rocks!).

My irritation with urchin crushing stems to a large extent from watching it occur in the Casino Dive Park- a city-designated marine reserve since the 1960's. It is without question inappropriate there.

Christopher- still working about 90 hours a week editing te Belize-Utila footage but I'm on my last six dives now so there's light at the end of tunnel... and more time starting next week to dive!

Dr. Bill

 

[LioKai]

i only hope that they also stop the behaviour and not just hide it.

LioKai, I once saw a tshirt for DAN that was along those lines... very funny. it said:


Step on the sea urchin
Touch the Fire Coral
Pull the nurse shark's tail

And we thank you for your support.

Divers Assistance Network.

Sweet.

 

[LioKai]

By the way,
I called Rusty again today. He was unavailable. I told the attendee that while I am wickedly appalled at the video content and the divers actions, I was happy to find the video had been removed. Now how about stopping the practices that were viewed in the video.

SSI needs to be contacted about this. Anybody have that contact info?

Matthew

 

[gj62]

Good work Doc.


Now, about those urchins.....
1) If you want to break open an urchin please take your gloves off first.
2) only pet large eels and barracuda, and only on the mouth.

Since I often dove in SoCal without gloves, yes, I handled urchins bare-handed, though I used a knife to actually open the critter. Neoprene gloves are generally little use against the spines anyhow. Ya gotta be careful though!

Also, when approaching morays to coax them out or pet them, since they have poor eyesight I usually approach their head straight-on with my palm facing their jaws. Then slowly go up over their head to pet them. That plus offering them a morsel of urchin will get them out of their hole in many cases if you are patient. If you just grab them, they'll suck back in too fast.

So LioKai, you're got it pretty much correct on your way to safely handling marine life...

 

[LioKai]

Since I often dove in SoCal without gloves, yes, I handled urchins bare-handed, though I used a knife to actually open the critter. Neoprene gloves are generally little use against the spines anyhow. Ya gotta be careful though!

Also, when approaching morays to coax them out or pet them, since they have poor eyesight I usually approach their head straight-on with my palm facing their jaws. Then slowly go up over their head to pet them. That plus offering them a morsel of urchin will get them out of their hole in many cases if you are patient. If you just grab them, they'll suck back in too fast.

So LioKai, you're got it pretty much correct on your way to safely handling marine life...

Well GJ62, I am completely against handling.

When I said to only pet eels on the mouth I was being scarcastic. Perhaps I needed to be more scarcastic for you to get my meaning. That being said, "please only pet eels and baracudda on their TEETH" LOL

It is not surprising that I feel (and teach) this way. I don't like anyone touching my tools either.

Lets not forget that when you handle an animal or an organism, you run the risk of transfering deseases or viruses from one aniimal to another. You don't know what you might have on your gloves/hands. Not from the urchins, but from something else entirely. For example, grease or oil from the boat.

As I stated earlier, do not ask the question what is the harm?

Rather ask,

What is the help. (Feeding is not help)

Matthew

 

[sapphire]

By the way,
I called Rusty again today. He was unavailable. I told the attendee that while I am wickedly appalled at the video content and the divers actions, I was happy to find the video had been removed. Now how about stopping the practices that were viewed in the video.

SSI needs to be contacted about this. Anybody have that contact info?

Matthew

Matthew,

Rusty certifies a LOT of divers. I would be surprised if SSI took a stance here. Not that it would be bad if they did, I think I would just be surprised. They can be contacted here.

I have very much appreciated your perspective here. I agree with you, don't ask what is the harm, ask what is the help. That is how I try to dive as well.

Cheers,

 

[gj62]

As I stated earlier, do not ask the question what is the harm?

Rather ask,

What is the help. (Feeding is not help)

Matthew

I had noted the sarcasm - just pointing out that it was sound advice as well...

What is the help everytime you go diving?

You likely are doing more harm than good if you consider that any outside interference is harm, and the fact that petrochemicals are likely being consumed to transport you, fill your dive tanks, make your gear, etc. Of course, all of this has much more impact on the environment, flora and fauna of the planet than my 1-on-1 interaction with the occassional eel or garibaldi.

I'm sure you'll hang up your reg now, sit in your house, and never drive a car or boat again, because, after all, what is the help?!?

Too funny...

 

[kelpmermaid]

if you consider that any outside interference is harm, and the fact that petrochemicals are likely being consumed to transport you, fill your dive tanks, make your gear, etc. Of course, all of this has much more impact on the environment, flora and fauna of the planet than my 1-on-1 interaction with the occassional eel or garibaldi.

I'm sure you'll hang up your reg now, sit in your house, and never drive a car or boat again, because, after all, what is the help?!?

Too funny...[/QUOTE]

So, anyone who drives a car might as well just beat the squirrels and pull their tails when he goes to a park because he's already harming nature?

I know we are not going to agree on this, but I keep thinking of the phrase, "Go pick on somebody your own size." It's not all about being "green," it's also about not being mean, but you know I think that already.

 

[getwet2]

http://www.scubaschoolsofamerica.com/

Go to video footage entitled "Angel Sharks of Catalina Island."

If you don't like what you see, SSA's e-mail & phone number are on the home page.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

I tried to find the video but couldn't it's not on the site anymore.

Anyhow, I read all the posts and here are my thoughts. I believe that we as divers should be down there only to observe and not touch anything, we are not down there as scientist's or biologoist's or any other type of 'ist's for that matter. Last time I looked my eye's were in my head and not on my hands. I specifically go scuba diving to observe the marine life in it's natural environment, if you, meaning other divers, don't there are lot's of aquariums you can look at. How can people say that they observed the creatures in their natural environment when they are feeding and touching them, it's not natural for them to be fed and touched by humans. This can be said for those shark dives as well, the one's where they are fed. Shark's do not normally eat as often as they get fed on those types of dives. Why do people, "aka Divers", think the shark's are there in the first place, they didn't just happen by at the right time, they have learned that there is easy food to be had in these areas so they hang around. They have become FAT and LAZY, like some of us human's. What's going to happen if the those dives ever stop?

The marine life does not need us to feed it, they are very capable of finding their own dinner, in fact they need us to just leave them alone. As for grabbing things, think about this, one day something might come along and grab you by the tail all in the name of educating it's young. One exception, most of the marine life I've seen don't have any hands!

People will be people though and they will continue to do what they want, the only thing we can do is to try to change the attitudes of the younger one's that we come into contact with and are just starting out. I even believe some OLD dogs are capable of learning new tricks.

 

[getwet2]

if you consider that any outside interference is harm, and the fact that petrochemicals are likely being consumed to transport you, fill your dive tanks, make your gear, etc. Of course, all of this has much more impact on the environment, flora and fauna of the planet than my 1-on-1 interaction with the occassional eel or garibaldi.

I'm sure you'll hang up your reg now, sit in your house, and never drive a car or boat again, because, after all, what is the help?!?

Too funny...

So, anyone who drives a car might as well just beat the squirrels and pull their tails when he goes to a park because he's already harming nature?

I know we are not going to agree on this, but I keep thinking of the phrase, "Go pick on somebody your own size." It's not all about being "green," it's also about not being mean, but you know I think that already.[/QUOTE]
Good reply!