Official Reef Re-opening

[Christi]

Christi, Rivera -Mayan-news.com is reporting 1 of the 3 areas (El Cielo) will remain closed and that the dive operators have agreed to improve sustainable practices as a condition to reopening of the reefs. Do you know what the agreed to "improved sustainable practices" are? Has there been any discussion about having divers decontaminate their gear at the end of each day, which is the recommendation of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to deal with the Stoney Coral Tissue Loss Disease. See Citizen Participation | Florida Reef Tract Coral Disease Outbreak | Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary SCTLD is much more insidious than prior bleaching events or coral diseases due to the high mortality rate of the 22 species of coral that are affected. The U.S. and Florida governments have authorized the removal of heathy corals from protected areas to create "seed banks" at universities and aquariums around the country for the future because of fear that the 22 species will go extinct from the disease.

Fake news - there was a committee meeting yesterday, but no decision was made to re-open Cielo as of yet.

 

[ChuckP]

Closing El Cielo to keep out the trash generating, sunscreen covered star fish fondling snorkelers isn’t such a bad idea.

Great place for SI when you’re down there but oh well.....

 

[Christi]

Closing El Cielo to keep out the trash generating, sunscreen covered star fish fondling snorkelers isn’t such a bad idea.

Great place for SI when you’re down there but oh well.....

This is being discussed as an alternative - no more "Cielo Cantina parties" but SI's by permit holders MAY be permitted - the jury is still out on that - there will be a series of meetings over the next week or two to discuss and make a final decision

 

[The Chairman]

Good luck with all of that!

 

[tridacna]

No - that is not the expiration date - it is the permit number renewed in 2018

No kidding...

 

[WetInPortland]

No - that is not the expiration date - it is the permit number renewed in 2018

So is there a site that lists the authorized operators and valid registration numbers? Are these linked to the boat permits (https://issuu.com/arrecifescozumel/docs/emb_aut_2016-2018_pnac)?

My snarky previous comment aside, if we could get the word out to divers and make it easy to check and report violators, it seems like that would create some pressure on the unauthorized ops. I understand that the boat permit list changes with some frequency and that's why it's not downloadable, but if the powers that be would give the diving community a usable tool, we'll gladly lend a hand!

 

[gwklein]

Fake news - there was a committee meeting yesterday, but no decision was made to re-open Cielo as of yet.

Is the fake news, that a permanent decision was made on Cielo or that the dive operators agreed to make dive practice changes to improve sustainability of the reef? It seems from your later message that Cielo will remain closed at least for another week or two to allow for further discussion is in agreement, in part,. that Cielo will remain closed after the other reefs are opened. Anyway, I was more interested in what sustainable practices were being considered. Or was the dive flag requirement the only change being considered? Divers don't seem to realize that SCTLD started of the coast of Miami in the fall of 2014 but has spread very rapidly to the reefs of Jamaica, Mexico, St. Maarten, USVI, and Dominican Republic. This disease is not just a problem in Cozumel.

 

[scubafanatic]

Unauthorized boats will be required to fly the appropriate flag.

 

[scubafanatic]

Until the counterfeit flags start showing up.

...sounds like Christi already has one.

 

[Christi]

...sounds like Christi already has one.

Actually I have TWO