Sad day for Blue Heron Bridge

[Scuba_Jenny]

@Scuba_Jenny,

I'm not a Florida resident so my approaching your legislators doesn't have the same impact.

Do you know who the best tourism contact is for WPB? I would like to voice my displeasure and let them contact your legislators.

you might be surprised at your impact. Florida relies on the tourism dollar, and Blue Heron Bridge is no different with all the hotels on Singer Island, the dive shops renting gear, restaurants, car rentals, etc.
Sadly, I don't know right off hand who the best contact is.. perhaps FWC to start?

 

[lowviz]

Just found this: Home - Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, FL

I wonder if they were aware of this issue? They are now.

 

[Manneca]

I have left a message on the Chamber's website.

 

[boulderjohn]

There is a serious disconnect between the two sides about the number of specimens that were collected. They claim a minimum number, but others say the numbers were much higher. We know who they are. Can someone identify the source of the much higher estimates?

 

[ljpm]

There is a serious disconnect between the two sides about the number of specimens that were collected. They claim a minimum number, but others say the numbers were much higher. We know who they are. Can someone identify the source of the much higher estimates?

Actually I would put the number of sides at 3. The observers at BHB; the collectors and Moody's.
If this started to blow up before Moody's received the fish it is quite possible that the collectors 'flushed' some of the fish. I have no proof but just wanted to put this out there as a possibility.

 

[kelemvor]

f this started to blow up before Moody's received the fish

Just clarifying the timeline; It definitely did. It started to blow up while the collectors were still onsite at Blue Heron Bridge.

 

[boulderjohn]

Actually I would put the number of sides at 3. The observers at BHB; the collectors and Moody's.
If this started to blow up before Moody's received the fish it is quite possible that the collectors 'flushed' some of the fish. I have no proof but just wanted to put this out there as a possibility.

Just clarifying the timeline; It definitely did. It started to blow up while the collectors were still onsite at Blue Heron Bridge.

How many local people saw what they had actually collected?

My point is that Moody is saying one thing. We know who Moody is. It would be good to know the source of the local (on site) information as well. Was it a flock of divers circling the collectors? Was it an instructional group? Was it Jim Abernathy himself?

 

[kelemvor]

@uncfnp provided some of that in the first and fourth post on this thread. The incident was first "reported" to the blue heron bridge dive club's facebook page by Tom Poff. The issue is being "covered" or "tracked" or whatever on facebook, not scubaboard. There is far more details there than there are here.

TC Palm/USA Today article: Fish collection debacle leads to underwater uproar

Blue Heron Bridge Dive club: Blue Heron Bridge Dive Club

ABC News story about reef.org study to specifically quantify the impact of this incident: Divers report lower numbers of fish at Blue Heron Bridge following controversial netting

My understanding is that Jim Abernathy was apparently there, as were a large group of other people. That includes state officials. Remember this happened over multiple days, and there was time to call in FWC officials to inspect and see it in person. That's what lead to the permit getting cancelled. Jim Abernathy includes some of the photos in a video he posted to youtube in order to debunk Moody's claims.

I've only seen a few of the photos, but my understanding is there's many photos and videos on facebook. I don't maintain a FB account, so I can only view stuff on FB that is posted "public" which makes things there harder to find than they otherwise would be.

 

[kelemvor]

Here are some of Tom Poff's photos:

 

[time2sail]

Its tough for me to believe anyone – commercial or rec – would want to be associated with taking a single animal from this site. I don’t care if we are talking about 1 Bat Fish, 2 Sea Horses or 12 Blennies, taking any one of these animals from this site is shameful business. It amazes / saddens me that we need law enforcement to step in and explain that to anyone, let alone a commercial aquarium that claims to be collecting for the good of the species.