Condition of the reefs

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Just came back on 2 Jul from 10 days. I noticed alot of poached conch and the lack of lobster and fish. Several dives we did not see any lobster.
 
I was in Cozumel in March 2021, having last been there in December 2019. IMO, there is a striking decline in reef health and low numbers of fish. Dead coral and algae were everywhere. You'll need to go to make your own judgment, but for me, I'm going elsewhere. As for addressing the problem, there's multiple factors contributing....all human caused. We can fix it, but nobody wants to.
As I said, it's very subjective. I have been diving Cozumel at least once a year since the mid 1990's and I have seen lots of changes both above and below the water line. Between 2019 and 2021 there has been some decline, yes, but overall and in my opinion, not all that much. It's certainly not so much that it will drive me away; I had great dives there in May.
 
Reiterating that this is very subjective (other than SCTLD). While there are some more invasive species around like red algae, really not that much decline over past 10 years other than SCTLD (which is hitting the bulk of the Caribbean thanks to the cruise ships spreading it around prior to the pandemic) I have occasionally seen other coral growing over the stuff killed by SCTLD, btw. There was definitely some poaching during the pandemic, but plenty of lobsters and conch still around. Think nurse sharks are probably the one thing I see fewer off relative to 2019. Some divemasters who dive every day certainly believed the reefs were healthier in 2020 than in 2019. Haven't asked them about 2021

Conch on the march this week either at Palancar Gardens or Horseshoe (I forget)
DSC07951.jpg

Generally have been seeing 2-3 lobster on every dive past week. Took this about a month ago (don't remember where)--way more than 2-3 in this photo :)
DSC07287.jpg
 
Wow. Such a diversity of opinions.

When I went in 2019, I wasn't sure if I would return. Covid hit, and I didn't have much of a choice of places to go in 2020.

When I went in September of 2020, I thought the reefs looked so much better.
 
Wow. Such a diversity of opinions.

When I went in 2019, I wasn't sure if I would return. Covid hit, and I didn't have much of a choice of places to go in 2020.

When I went in September of 2020, I thought the reefs looked so much better.
Sordalike the story of the blind men and the elephant, huh? It depends on what part of the big picture you are seeing and what your preconceived notions are.

In a related story...

Two blind elephants encountered a human. The first elephant felt the human and exclaimed, "Why, humans are flat!" The second elephant felt the human and concurred.

:D
 
Sordalike the story of the blind men and the elephant, huh? It depends on what part of the big picture you are seeing and what your preconceived notions are.

In a related story...

Two blind elephants encountered a human. The first elephant felt the human and exclaimed, "Why, humans are flat!" The second elephant felt the human and concurred.

:D

Weird story...
 
There June 9-19. 18 dives. It all seemed pretty much like it has the last 10 years, except we saw only two lionfish. Many large lobsters. A little bleaching but nothing dramatic.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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