Possible southern reef closure

[flyboy08]

So, in your many trips there, and I assume you went diving, did you observe widespread contact of hard corals by divers?

Yes.[/QUOTE]
In roughly 150 dives in Coz, I’ve never witnessed such.

 

[ReefHound]

.

Yes.

In roughly 150 dives in Coz, I’ve never witnessed such.

Maybe John is the one touching the hard corals, and that is why he always sees it happening but the rest of us don't see it happening.

 

[uncfnp]

Perhaps its his choice of dive ops or travel companions.

I’ve seen poor trim and the occasional diver impact the reef but never more than once or twice. And yes I have seen dms/guides motion divers away from the reef.

 

[deepsea21]

Over 400 dives in Cozumel and the most damage I've ever seen done to the reef was done by a turtle. Wish I had it on video but I was so amazed at the level of destruction I was witnessing that I never thought of recording it. It gnawed and gnawed at the base of about a 5' tall coral with all its strength (front flippers firmly planted for leverage) until it finally toppled over like a tree... It wanted to eat the white interior inside the base of it. As soon as it toppled over fish came rocketing in from everywhere eating all the scraps while the turtle gorged on the white interior of the base. I've never seen a diver do such a level destruction to the reef.

 

[Ron Lee]

Pedro Joaquin Delbouis, the Presidente of Cozumel, issued this statement yesterday about the project you are talking about at Palancar. It asks for the population of Cozumel not to believe all the fake news that is circulating on the social websites. He says the municipality has NOT issued any permits, and has NO plans to issue any permits for that project, and that it has been turned down twice already. Here is the text of what he said:

“Hago un llamado a la población a no dejarse llevar por ‘fake news’ que circulan en redes sociales, en las que se habla de construcciones cerca de Palancar. El Ayuntamiento no ha recibido solicitud alguna de ese tipo y, es más, tengo información en el sentido de que ese proyecto ya fue rechazado anteriormente en dos ocasiones”, precisó. Y reiteró: “Hasta el día de hoy no hay solicitud de ningún tipo”.

El munícipo subrayó que las densidades y ordenamientos para el desarrollo de esa zona no hay cambiado, de modo que, en caso de que el proyecto se ponga a consideración de la actual administración, volverán a rechazarlo porque “no hay cambios al respecto”.Pedro Joaquín enfatizó que su administración no permitirá desarrollos de gran envergadura que afecten a la naturaleza y reiteró su compromiso con el cuidado del ambiente, patente desde hace más de cinco años con acciones como el Scuba Fest, que tiene entre sus principales objetivos impulsar la protección de los mares y un planeta más verde, con la participación de Sylvia Alice Earle y Jean-Michael Cousteau.

Sobre la supuesta condonación del impuesto predial a los propietarios del terreno mencionado, indicó que, al igual que a la ciudadanía en general que quiere ponerse al día con sus impuestos municipales, se les dieron facilidades con el aval del Cabildo, pero no se les eximió del pago.

“Hago un llamado a la población a validar la información o “noticias” que circulan en redes sociales, ya que hay actores locales que están lanzando campañas de desinformación e, incluso, hicieron un llamado a bloquear el evento de Ironman, sin importar su relevancia nacional e internacional, ni que coadyuva a la economía de las familias cozumeleñas”.

“No vamos a utilizar esto para fomentar divisiones y, sobre todo, nunca vamos a atentar contra el turismo ni contra el porvenir de Cozumel. Rechacemos las medias verdades o medias mentiras”, expresó.

Google translation:

“I call on the population not to get carried away by‘ fake news ’that circulate on social networks, in which they talk about buildings near Palancar. The City Council has not received any such request and, moreover, I have information in the sense that this project was already rejected twice before, ”he said. And he reiterated: "To this day there is no request of any kind."

The municipo stressed that the densities and ordinances for the development of that area have not changed, so that, in case the project is put to the consideration of the current administration, they will reject it again because "there are no changes in this regard." Joaquin stressed that his administration will not allow large-scale developments that affect nature and reiterated his commitment to the care of the environment, patent for more than five years with actions such as the Scuba Fest, which has among its main objectives to promote the protection of the seas and a greener planet, with the participation of Sylvia Alice Earle and Jean-Michael Cousteau.

Regarding the alleged remission of the property tax to the owners of the aforementioned land, he indicated that, as well as the general public who wants to catch up with their municipal taxes, they were given facilities with the endorsement of the Cabildo, but they were not exempted of payment.

"I call on the population to validate the information or" news "circulating in social networks, as there are local actors who are launching disinformation campaigns and even called to block the Ironman event, regardless of its relevance national and international, or that contributes to the economy of Cozumel families.

“We are not going to use this to promote divisions and, above all, we will never attempt against tourism or the future of Cozumel. Let us reject half truths or half lies, ”he said.

 

[DandyDon]

There is no city named San Miguel in Quintana Roo. It ceased to exist in 1936, when the Mexican federal government changed the names of almost all cities in Mexico that had religious names to names with no religious connotation.

Ironic in that a hundred years earlier Mexico required that all Texans become Catholic.

 

[gopbroek]

I understand the Presidente’s statement but I also understand that clearing in the mangroves was going on without permit at the Lakam-ha development and that it is backed by political heavyweights (PRI?) from the former administration of Cancun (the gold standard for clean government). I also understand that while known, the issue of pirate boats in the park, poaching and the apparent doper trade by scuba on the east side has not been addressed, I am somewhat skeptical.

 

[El Graduado]

Also rich, well connected, and powerful it seems. That seems to be common.

A successful politician once told me "a poor politician is a bad politician". I think that in the US, all successful politicians are rich, well connected and powerful.

Ironic in that a hundred years earlier Mexico required that all Texans become Catholic.

I believe the governments of the original 13 US states also required attendance at their respective churches. They sailed to the new world to be able to follow their religion that was restricted in England, not to found a new country that would allow freedom of religion to all, as is usually stated. Now it is just the opposite in the US (as it is in Mexico); separation of Church and State.

I understand the Presidente’s statement but I also understand that clearing in the mangroves was going on without permit at the Lakam-ha development and that it is backed by political heavyweights (PRI?) from the former administration of Cancun (the gold standard for clean government). I also understand that while known, the issue of pirate boats in the park, poaching and the apparent doper trade by scuba on the east side has not been addressed, I am somewhat skeptical.

I believe only a "brecha" (pathway) one meter wide and 60 meters long was illegally cut through the mangrove this time so that they could survey for the environmental impact statement they were re-submitting for the third time to Semarnap (of the federal government). The Municipal Government stopped them and shut the survey down. The property is owned by a business controlled by the ex-Presidente of Cancun, I believe. That does not mean he can push the project through if the Cozumel government does not want it, and is seems clear to me that the Cozumel Government (and the people of Cozumel) don't want it. However, by reading all the conspiracy theories concerning this project pushed by this forum, it also seems to me that my continued posting of valid info about the situation will not do any good. It is very disheartening to see these theories posted over and over by folks that don't know what's going on, but only follow rumors posted on social media.

 

[Doctor Rig]

Pedro Joaquin Delbouis, the Presidente of Cozumel, issued this statement yesterday about the project you are talking about at Palancar.

Pedro Joaquin Delbouis, the Presidente of Cozumel, issued this statement yesterday about the project you are talking about at Palancar. It asks for the population of Cozumel not to believe all the fake news that is circulating on the social websites.

In this posting, I don’t notice any reference or informative rebuttal about the reported lack of any waste treatment capabilities in southern Cozumel resorts, and their dumping of waste in the ocean which compounds the waste dumped by cruise ships. To what extent is this true, and what regulations exist to protect the Cozumel waters and to what extent are they enforced?

 

[Doctor Rig]

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