Sad day for Blue Heron Bridge

[uncfnp]

I placed this in Basic since there are a lot of divers outside Florida that love and support the BHB and the actions here are worth discussing for all divers...

Posted by the BHB Dive Club on their Facebook page...

We received today's conditions update from Tom Poff:

"I am livid, almost fit to be tied.The dive itself went relatively well until we came upon a group of about four young men with professional grade collecting devices, including sheet net, Big collecting box contained in mesh etc. Someone called the FWC. They came out and inspected a huge truck full of critters. They have been here all week from Texas A&M and the Moody Gardens Aquarium in Galveston. They have legal permits. Pike Blennies all gone, Jaw Fish all gone. Bat Fish all gone. Frog fish all gone. Many other Blennies and just about two of almost every other kind of fish were in their truck. I found no Mantis shrimp either. Huge tank with stacks of coolers in their truck. Just about raped BHB. Myself, Jim Abernathy and several others were there. I think we need to file a petition with the State, Texas A&M and the Moody Gardens Aquarium along with as many signatures as we can get to get these misguided people to stop collecting here." Aquarium Pyramid
#FWC #SCUBA #FLORIDA

Blue Heron Bridge Dive Club

 

[Caveeagle]

WTF?!

Why would they focus their collection on such a small area? Sounds like they were just being lazy.

I know one of my frequent dive shops often plays host to a lathe group from Texas A&M. I will make sure my sentiments are well known!

 

[Wookie]

Holy crap. I know those folks (at Moody and TAMUG). That's a crappy deal.

 

[uncfnp]

Blue Heron Bridge Dive Club

A link to their FB page. There are pictures.

I also suscribe to an email blog for BHB that is requesting others to post on Moody Gardens FB page Moody Gardens

Or call 409-744-4673

 

[Caveeagle]

It is not clear what Moody Gardens has to do with this. Since you are asking for posts, can you explain?

 

[Wookie]

Blue Heron Bridge dive site (AKA Phil Foster Park of Riviera Beach, FL) is a world renowned diving location due to its diversity and abundance of marine life. For decades, this site has been a huge target for the tropical saltwater aquarium trade! We hope to end this practice with your help be getting this area protected from all Tropical Fish Collectors!

In the most recent incident, three professional tropical fish collectors employed by Moody Gardens Aquarium of Galveston Texas, Texas A & M University Department of Marine Biology, and the Smithsonian Marine Station of Ft. Pierce completed a week-long legal extraction of marine species with a permit issued by the Florida Department of Fish & Wildlife (FWC).

Their permit intended to allow them to collect marine life from four different counties and once FWC was made aware that they have been collecting in only one area, Blue Heron Bridge, for a week, they amended their permit essentially stopping them from collecting there any longer. We were told by FWC that no permits in the future would be given to anyone wishing to extract animals from the Blue Heron Bridge. We are very grateful for this. A complete ban from both commercial and hobbyist tropical fish collection at this site is our goal.

We have no intention of restricting recreational fishing, snorkeling or scuba diving as we very much would like all people to continue enjoying this park with it's incredible marine biodiversity. We are very appreciative and grateful for the FWC's help in reaching this goal.

 

[JamesBon92007]

If people want to look at fish they should go scuba diving.

 

[uncfnp]

It is not clear what Moody Gardnes has to do with this. Since you are asking for posts, can you explain?

I have no direct information. Just passing it along as I have received it.

And per the Wookie, it is reliable, valid and already being addressed by individuals that can help make a change.

I am not a Florida resident but as a WPB regular I am more than willing to help in any small way I can to keep this little bit of diving paradise safe.

 

[scubafanatic]

Revoking the permits and banning all future 'collecting' permits is great, but it sounds like the location has already been effectively 'strip mined' to empty, and in other examples of places where fishing was banned AFTER collapse has already happened (see Newfoundland Cod Fishery moratorium/collapse in 1992) the fishery has NEVER recovered !

 

[lowviz]

I can't freaking believe that Lisa's post hasn't ignited a firestorm!

Uh, oh well. Too late now. SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!?