Marine Park "Nature Fee" increases to $40 effective January 1, 2019

[scubafanatic]

I've been on a tear about this since wwguy's original post. My young daughter sorta brought me to a screeching halt by simply announcing "I wanna go to Bonaire this summer with you and mom".

So, we'll be going, I guess.

For me, it's not about the $ or about enforcement - I've never been checked for a tag, since mid 90's. I don't think I've ever even spoken to a Stinapa ranger, and I've seen many of the same activities described above.

But I believe the lack of enforcement, while distressing, is a grain of sand compared to the development plans expressed.

Imagine, if you will, a Bonaire with lots more cruise ships than today, but also Margate Bay with a high rise shore-side resort complete with artificial sand beach.

Now replicate that all the way north to Kralendijk. THAT is what I fear, and based on trajectory - and the plans laid out in the TCB strategic plan - I have no reason to doubt that an attempt will be made to get there. The development surge may, and probably will fail for any number of reasons I can imagine.

But I fear it will be too late to strategically plan to go back and become "the home of diving freedom" ever again.

I guess I need to just cool my jets and let it play out. This too will probably happen on island time and I'll be dead and gone.

I 'get' that Bonaire isn't obligated to keep the island in a hermetically sealed inert-gas filled protective bubble just because us divers might wish it so, and that short term economic thinking isn't unique to Bonaire, but it is a shame to see Bonaire go down that road to destruction regardless. If it's the case that the authorities really writing off the reefs by thinking over development will just kill off the reefs that global warming was going to kill anyway, so what's the difference ? ,then I might add that Bonaire isn't that far from the equator, and global warming will cook the land just as it's cooks the reefs, so the anticipated topside development/activities will fail to attract many tourists if it's 110 degrees in the shade! Not to mention that a super heated ocean will generate more frequent, larger and more powerful hurricanes as well!

 

[GrafCanuck]

Let's hope that you are right.

 

[scubadada]

I emailed STINAPA and they got right back to me regarding the increase in the marine park tag

STINAPA Bonaire <info@stinapa.org>
8:01 AM (54 minutes ago)
to me, STINAPA

Hi Craig,

The dive tag increase will be from March 1st, it will cost $45,- for the calendar year. The Other user tag goes from $10,- to 25,- from March 1st.
Thanks for your support of our Marine Park!!

Best,
Anouschka van de Ven
Communications Coordinator

STINAPA Bonaire
Barcadera z/n
Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
T: +599 - 717 8444

 

[GrafCanuck]

Let's hope that you are right.

To clarify this is in reference to

Speaking as a retired scientist, scientists are known to be wrong on occasion. Also, it is much more likely that such predictions were prefaced by a comment such as, "If things continue as they presently going..." Personally, I rather suspect that the reefs will outlive humans, unless of course, they kill all life on the planet.

 

[dmaziuk]

Personally, I rather suspect that the reefs will outlive humans, unless of course, they kill all life on the planet.

 

[tursiops]

You got my blessing! We already decided we are not going back there again after our last trip in 2014. Fewer turtles and morays, groupers and large parrotfish species wiped out, corals in bad shape, often covered with red slimy algae, etc. There is not much left there to see. If they want to turn themselves into another Aruba (and Curacao is already heading this way), this is their choice, but we do not want to watch or God forbid, pay for the transition.

Yes, that was a bad year. It's better now.

 

[DustyC]

MUCH better. I saw more turtles this year, with fewer dives, than ever. Didn't see as many angelfish. Only one lionfish the entire week (BIG sob at 1000 steps) and no cuttlefish. The number of juvenile fish was insane. The reefs looked great. Lots of reports of a nurseshark at 1k steps, but I didn't see it.

 

[tarponchik]

MUCH better. I saw more turtles this year, with fewer dives, than ever. Didn't see as many angelfish. Only one lionfish the entire week (BIG sob at 1000 steps) and no cuttlefish. The number of juvenile fish was insane. The reefs looked great. Lots of reports of a nurseshark at 1k steps, but I didn't see it.

Cuttlefish? You mean, squid?

Bonaire never was famous as a nurse shark paradise. Better dive Dania Beach in Florida, you can see 2-3 of them per dive.

How deep did you go? I've noticed in Curacao that Lionfish tend to stay deeper now. I found 6 LFs inside one giand barrel sponge at 80+ ft, for example.

 

[DustyC]

Cuttlefish? You mean, squid?

Bonaire never was famous as a nurse shark paradise. Better dive Dania Beach in Florida, you can see 2-3 of them per dive.

No, I didn't mean squid. I meant cuttlefish, which are closely related to, but not squid. They're in different Orders of classification. And I'm fully aware that Bonaire isn't known for nurses, which is why I brought up that there are a lot of reports of one around right now. Since some people are blatantly lying about the conditions with no recent experience, I figured I'd spread some truth of current conditions having been there 2 days ago.

 

[tursiops]

No, I didn't mean squid. I meant cuttlefish, which are closely related to, but not squid. They're in different Orders of classification.

Cuttlefish are not known in the Western Atlantic. Not surprised you didn't see any!