dive report, KEY LARGO , thursday 3/20/14, some pics,,,,,,,,,

[reefman]

more clouds than sunshine, light winds, 1-2 ft confused seas greeted us this morning on MOLASSES REEF. topside conditions improved greatly as the day worn on; sunny skies/calm seas finishing dive # 2. 1st dive: deep buoy M28; light NE current, dusty blue water, viz 50FT, water temp 76F @ 45-90FT. repositioned shallow to buoy M25(logans run, northstar, winch hole/hole in the wall) for the 2nd; once again, light/minimal current, dusty blue viz 40-50FT, 76/77F @ 25-40FT. reef shark, schools of jacks. wide angle pics from TIMG,,,,,,,,,,


reefman
key largo

 

[drrich2]

Nice. When I was in Key Largo last September, I was pleased to see a number of hogfish. Funny what I do & don't see at varied places. 7 Trips to Bonaire, and I've seen Spanish hogfish but not (common) hogfish. Saw 1 in St. Thomas, out of 4 dives there. But diving out of Key Largo, saw a number of them over 20 dives.

Also saw Porkfish out of Key Largo, but never in Bonaire. And haven't seen Grey Angelfish in Bonaire; just Queen & French.

I wonder sometimes just what ecological forces are preventing a given species spread. Granted, 'I didn't see it' doesn't = 'It's not there,' but if out of well over 100 dives in Bonaire I haven't seen a single one of either, I'm thinking they're at the least not common there.

Richard.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Hogfish are severely over-speared everywhere in their range (they are not a hook and line fish), because they are probably the best-tasting fish in the ocean and are docile, slow and easy targets. But, no one (except divers) have see the unbelievable decline in the species over the last 20 years. They are a fish that can reach 15 pounds or more, but you never see any large ones, only very small ones. Because they are not a sportfish, and are not on the radar of conservation or government agencies, the overfishing continues unabated.

You see lots of them in Key Largo because Pennekamp is part of a completely "no take" sanctuary that covers a large area and the population has had a chance to rebound.

 

[reefman]

here's a link explaining the key largo existing management area which encompasses pennekamp state park(additional link for activities allowed goes into further detail). spearfishing has been banned in this portion of the upper keys since 1974 which partly explains the abundance of hogfish, groupers, and snappers observed on nearly every dive site from the boundary with Biscayne national park south to and including the molasses SPA.

Key Largo Existing Management Area


reefman
key largo

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Thanks, Reefman, that was very useful to understand the management plan.