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The Moody Gardens "official statement" by their Greg Whittaker is almost entirely horseshit. I was at Blue Heron and talked to the three grad students. They stripped out a lot off specimens, at least 200 according to an account of an eyewitness who was videoed making this statement. This was from just the one cooler he was able to look in out of many and the large round holding tank that he didn't get to look in. He saw lots of fish and invertebrates and as well rays. A law enforcement officer who looked at their catch from just one day saw about 100 animals. Moody's CYA statements are just that and the lies on their part are rampant.I've been following the situation concerning the collection of fish on the 'Blue Heron Bridge Dive Club' group on Facebook.
Mood Gardens Aquarium in Galveston, Texas A & M University and The Smithsonian Marine Station in Ft Pierce were issued a permit by FWC to collect from multiple sites.
There's a petition Jim Abernethy started to end commercial & hobbyist collection at the bridge. Think all who enjoy BHB should let their voice be heard.
Sign the Petition
I would have interfered, too if I had gotten there first. It's no coincidence that once the FWC found out what these idiots were doing they IMMEDIATELY amended the permit to prohibit collections at Blue Heron Bridge and as well required them to spread out their collections, not concentrating on any one area. No one at FWC saw this coming: that these idiots would be so callous, clueless and indifferent as to go to the most popular dive site in the area and strip the animals from it. Just to show how arrogant and stupid they were, even after they were confronted the night before by the angry diving public they returned the next morning and kept collecting.Turns out that Palm Beach County's Parks and Recreation Director has said the county doesn’t have the authority to stop a business entering the area by boat to harvest fish, or a resident from taking fish for their home aquariums aquariums and fish stores from coming to the park and taking the tropical fish. AND a local ordinance cannot preempt the State when it comes to setting fishing rules, or in this case, the taking of tropical fish.
And interfering with the legal harvesting is a violation of Florida law. (379.401)
The bridge is #1 shore dive in Florida , BUT you got to go during slack tide !We would love to hear the current status of the BHB in regards to critters. How has it been impacted by the Aggies???
You misunderstand my question. I've dove the bridge many times and know how it's done. Recently Texas AM dove there and took many, many critters, possibly hurting the ecology there. Many of us want to know how that has impacted the bridge. We're all rooting for the real trolls of the BHB: its critters.The bridge is #1 shore dive in Florida , BUT you got to go during slack tide !
Thank you, C.O. And do not forget your flag!The bridge is #1 shore dive in Florida , BUT you got to go during slack tide !