Invasive species issue on Little Cayman?

[knotical]

Actually, things like this happen with too great frequency in scuba publications. ...

And many (most) other publications as well. After being burnt in technical journals, I always took measures to prevent further occurrences, such as first working with local editors and artists to get the text and illustrations right, and including notes to the publisher as to why certain elements should be preserved. But the best laid plans still sometimes fell to the final arbiter who wanted an illustration that was more pleasing to the eye, or simpler - but wrong!

 

[agilis]

Actually, things like this happen with too great frequency in scuba publications.

Articles get carefully written by people who know what they are talking about, and then they are published. The people who do the final layouts are layout editors who often know little about the subject of the article, and their job is to make the final product look good. A favorite trick at the last minute is to dip into the file of stock photos and plug one in. I myself have been the victim of this twice.

1. When we published the article in the PADI professional journal promoting teaching OW student in a horizontal, neutrally buoyant position and NEVER on the knees, the layout artist had a problem. he had to fill a certain amount of empty space on the page, and he saw that the article was about OW instruction. He put in a big picture of an OW class, with students planted firmly on their knees.

2. When my current dive shop put out a blurb in its newsletter for our new Advanced Recreational and Technical program and the classes that focus on buoyancy, trim, and propulsion, the newsletter designer wanted to put in a nice picture. He saw the word "buoyancy" in the blurb and put in a picture of someone doing the Buddha hover--the precise opposite of what the classes teach. Anyone interested in what the program offered would see the picture would immediately dismiss the program as not worth considering.

This kind of silliness happens in all kinds of marketing media. To most layout editors pretty fishes are pretty fishes. I've seen Anemone Fish in ads for Bahamian hotels and French Angelfish in tourism ads for Hawaii.

 

[RJP]

The picture was taken in the Pacific Ocean. That anemone and other invertebrates in the picture make this abundantly clear.

In case anyone needed another data point for the argument that ScubaBoard desperately needs a sarcasm font!



---------- Post added August 21st, 2015 at 07:27 PM ----------

Oh, wow. Lionfish are one thing, but I can imagine the public image of a bunch of spear fishers going on 'Nemo roundups.'

This is the 1st I'd read of them in the Caribbean (this thread). Wonder how well they do in areas where the native anemones aren't accustomed to clown fish?

Richard.

Maybe TWO data points?

 

[agilis]

In case anyone needed another data point for the argument that ScubaBoard desperately needs a sarcasm font!



---------- Post added August 21st, 2015 at 07:27 PM ----------



Maybe TWO data points?

Not really, since there was no detectable sarcastic irony in the original post. It was certainly sardonic, but not really sarcastic.

Post #5 by awap is a better example of sarcasm.

 

[drrich2]

And we'd never expect sarcasm from RJP...

Richard.

 

[RJP]

And we'd never expect sarcasm from RJP...

Richard.

Sarcastic... Moi?

 

[knotical]

All kidding aside for a moment, there is reported to be alien clownfish in the Bahamas.
see: http://www.ciasnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IAS-in-the-Caribbean-Database-.pdf (top of page 5)

 

[agilis]

All kidding aside for a moment, there is reported to be alien clownfish in the Bahamas.
see: http://www.ciasnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IAS-in-the-Caribbean-Database-.pdf (top of page 5)

Considering the numbers of salt water aquarists out there (I am one) and the inevitable tendency of stupid thoughtless aquarists to dump unwanted fish into local waters it's inevitable that a few alien species turn up now and again. Very few are able to establish permanent populations, with Lionfish the great and tragic exception.

I once saw a very large Pacific angelfish off Fort Lauderdale. On land it's a different story. The Everglades are being overrun with Asian Pythons, destructive Tegu lizards are becoming common, and flocks of Amazon parrots can be found all over Florida. Most of these are descended from released pets.

 

[knotical]

In many ways it’s worse here in Hawaiʻi. Most living things you see on land and in our streams are alien. Most native birds and many native plants are endangered or already extinct.
In the ocean, it’s better but the intentionally introduced Roi is our version of the Caribbean’s Lionfish.

Problem animals include mongoose (also intentionally introduced), feral pigs, feral dogs, coqui frogs, little fire ants, … and of course rats and mice, roaches, etc.

However, they do a pretty good job of keeping snakes out (except for the two-legged kind).

 

[RJP]

Looks like Scuba Diving Magazine bought a globe for their social media interns...