Man fired from diving job after seen holding protected species

[amoses]

A lot more lionfish would be killed?

You don't see that many lionfish on the reef anymore. Cozumel policies have pretty much controlled them. A lot of people that don't know how to use a spear swimming around looking for targets might be dangerous though, lol.

 

[Dogbowl]

I do get an impression of anything goes for tourist bucks attitude from the local though, when I visited Isla Mujeres & Los Cabos. Here are a couple examples:
1. While following a local dive guide underwater, the guide caught a pufferfish & made it pumped water to blow itself up like a balloon. I was a bit disgusted.
2. Then I saw in the souvenir market those blown-up pufferfish hanging as ornaments.

That is why I try to avoid what I “think” are more touristy areas or where there is less a “culture of protection” of the marine environment. I like what I see in Coz (or don’t see actually). That’s why I like going back. I cannot handle bad behaviour.

We boycott any store or restaurant that displays dead porcupine fish or dried seahorses.

On Isla Mujeres I must have mentioned "sea horse" because some vendor pulled out a box-full of dead seahorses. No wonder they are difficult to find while diving.

With respect to seahorses, what I’m more concerned with is thousands of years of culture saying seahorses or some other endangered animal has medicinal properties. How do you undo thousands of years of culture for 1.4 billion people?

ONLY Marine park guides with approved spears are permitted to be spearing them - and they must follow protocol - which DOES NOT INCLUDE FEEDING THEM TO SHARKS OR EELS (or any other perceived predator). This practice by many DM's has conditioned many of our local reef residents and a few of them have become somewhat aggressive, especially with a Lionfish on the spear. After spearing, they should be disposed of on the reef or out on the wall for nature to take its course.

Guests - regardless of how frequent or skilled or special they may be - are NOT permitted to be spearing them. If you don't have a Marine Park credential or some kind of explicit special permission from the marine park, you are not permitted to spear them or even carry a spear. Can you imagine if we gave open season to guests spearing Lionfish?

Thanks for clarifying that cause I definitely thought customers could spear lion fish, based on pictures I saw on FB and posts I read here. I know that on the mainland they actually have lionfish spearing “dives” on offer.

 

[ChuckP]

There are people watching while you dive, following and charting things - seen it first hand. Nice guy too.It sounded like he was doing a study be it for the park or the government.

 

[Christi]

A lot more lionfish would be killed?

We’ve done an amazing job of keeping them under control so well in fact it’s a premium if even available in most restaurants anymore

 

[Christi]

That is why I try to avoid what I “think” are more touristy areas or where there is less a “culture of protection” of the marine environment. I like what I see in Coz (or don’t see actually). That’s why I like going back. I cannot handle bad behaviour.



With respect to seahorses, what I’m more concerned with is thousands of years of culture saying seahorses or some other endangered animal has medicinal properties. How do you undo thousands of years of culture for 1.4 billion people?



Thanks for clarifying that cause I definitely thought customers could spear lion fish, based on pictures I saw on FB and posts I read here. I know that on the mainland they actually have lionfish spearing “dives” on offer.

Absolutely prohibited within the park without proper credentials although some don’t understand this. And actually, spearing on Scuba here is illegal period. There is the exemption only for Lionfish, only for those with permits, or outside of the park boundaries.

 

[BRT]

Absolutely prohibited within the park without proper credentials although some don’t understand this. And actually, spearing on Scuba here is illegal period. There is the exemption only for Lionfish, only for those with permits, or outside of the park boundaries.

Well, not quite period. And not only lionfish. There is one more exception.

 

[ggunn]

Well, not quite period. And not only lionfish. There is one more exception.

What's the other exception? Divers wearing gloves or carrying knives?

 

[BRT]

What's the other exception? Divers wearing gloves or carrying knives?

There is an exemption for the commercial fish divers to spearfish on scuba.

 

[JFS]

You don't see that many lionfish on the reef anymore. Cozumel policies have pretty much controlled them. A lot of people that don't know how to use a spear swimming around looking for targets might be dangerous though, lol.

It is harder to find the lion fish in shallow water. Go beyond 100 - 200 ft and you will see them. Go out when they normally feed and you will see them. Its not only the hunting that has brought down the population , it is the fact that when these animals lay eggs they go to the surface. Cozumel has currents and moves these floating masses of eggs away from the area and that alone diminishes the problem by big numbers. There are lots of lion fish well past the northern end of the island.

 

[Schwob]

I'm not surprised AT ALL - I knew he was was working illegally based on his Facebook profile even before we confirmed who his employer was. I was simply pointing out that although he said he wasn't working, that was a blatant lie - he was attempting to cover his hiney - but we were several steps ahead of him.

Of course he was trying to cover his hiney... and was guilty for what he did. His nationality should't play into that at all imho ... I felt a bit strange by it being mentioned not as an offense, but sort of with the offense .... unless the law says only Mexican nationals can work as DM @Christi , maybe you could clarify?

AND, so what about that Playa dive operation? How do the teeth of your rules cut into them? Or was it established that they had indeed not possibly sent that DM / boar "tour poaching" into the marine park. Might it be posdible they are the instigator and het away rather cheap by using their frontline soldiers for cannonfudder as needed? Are we sure that the act of firing the dive guide adresses the heart of the problem... Or might it possibly be another hiney covering act, just one level higher up and not by a Frenchman?

I have no dog in that race but am curious if the investigating goes beyond the guy with the hand in the cookie jar to try to determine if maybe there was an employer that said "you need to bring me some cookies...". I.e. are there any conversations with the DM asking if he was sent into the marine park by the shop (which shurely should have a way of verifying if he does or does not have a valid license... and ditto for the boat... was he on a boat with a valid license? Or not? A boat from that shop or not?)... or if he was going there breaking all the shops rules (presuming they support the various rules of the greater area) as well?
I simply mean shouldn't there be more to this story than just the DM? (boat, "captain", shop)...