While not the "caretaker" of Catalina's Casino Dive Park which so many international divers enjoy each year, I am one of the few marine biologists who dives it regularly. Based on my observations and discussions with instructors and other dive professionals who work in the Park regularly, I'd like to offer the following suggestions.
I often observe urchins (mainly the black Coronados) that have been broken and used to attract fish by divers. Some divers do this believing they are helping the kelp forests. However Catalina waters are generally not subject to the urchin infestations (usually purples) that create barrens in kelp forests. In healthy systems urchins are important components in the ecosystem. Our urchins are controlled by the many sheephead that live in the Park. Please refrain from killing urchins there.
There are very few horn sharks these days compared to Descanso/Hamilton or Lover's Cove areas, suggesting human presence and physical contact may already be a problem for them. This is not a recent development. Probably not much we can do to bring them back, but when you encounter them please look, but don't touch. Same if you see one of the infrequent great whites!
Several of us have noted more overturned rocks in the Park lately. For biologists it is easy to tell since there are different life forms on the upper and lower surfaces. Overturning a rock may cause death for species on both sides. If you overturn a rock, carefully replace it as it was found to ensure the marine life survives for the next person (or the ecosystem function they fulfill).
The incredible crowds of two weeks ago were (hopefully) an aberration. As a reserve, the Dive Park has a limited capacity for divers if we are to preserve the marine life there for others to see. By limiting our individual impacts on the marine life there, we can assure that more divers can enjoy the Park and its marine life.
Dive safe and often!
Dr. Bill
I often observe urchins (mainly the black Coronados) that have been broken and used to attract fish by divers. Some divers do this believing they are helping the kelp forests. However Catalina waters are generally not subject to the urchin infestations (usually purples) that create barrens in kelp forests. In healthy systems urchins are important components in the ecosystem. Our urchins are controlled by the many sheephead that live in the Park. Please refrain from killing urchins there.
There are very few horn sharks these days compared to Descanso/Hamilton or Lover's Cove areas, suggesting human presence and physical contact may already be a problem for them. This is not a recent development. Probably not much we can do to bring them back, but when you encounter them please look, but don't touch. Same if you see one of the infrequent great whites!
Several of us have noted more overturned rocks in the Park lately. For biologists it is easy to tell since there are different life forms on the upper and lower surfaces. Overturning a rock may cause death for species on both sides. If you overturn a rock, carefully replace it as it was found to ensure the marine life survives for the next person (or the ecosystem function they fulfill).
The incredible crowds of two weeks ago were (hopefully) an aberration. As a reserve, the Dive Park has a limited capacity for divers if we are to preserve the marine life there for others to see. By limiting our individual impacts on the marine life there, we can assure that more divers can enjoy the Park and its marine life.
Dive safe and often!
Dr. Bill
