The Shark Whisperers!

[Scuba_Dad]

Great job, Bill!!! I wonder if EFR will accept a "Responder in Action" form for a shark? You deserve on for that little adventure.

Al

 

[Bill51]

Great job, Bill!!! I wonder if EFR will accept a "Responder in Action" form for a shark? You deserve on for that little adventure.

Al

Is there a DAN recommended lpm O2 flow rate for a hypoxic shark?

 

[Bill51]

Great job Bill51. Those old traps create a hazard to the marine life and the reef itself. They really need to be cleaned up, but that will never happen. Between that the the amount of fishing line on the reef I'm sure the damage to aquatic life is fairly high.

Last year in the same area we found a turtle who had one of his front flippers severed by fishing line. We were able to get the line off him and he swam away. Before that we found a turtle with a fishing hook in his right hine flipper on the Duane. I guess he'd ripped the hook out if we hadn't of cut the line.

Anyway good story with a good ending. All who depend on the reef for our livelyhood appreciate your efforts.

Good Diving,

You’ve got me thinking Gary. Over the years I’ve ignored hundreds of abandoned traps scattered around. We may not have the resources to clean up all the old traps, but we could start an education program where divers could easily break open abandoned traps to prevent other critters from becoming trapped in them – and probably make a pretty good dent in the problem. I already cut lose any mono I find attached to hooks on the bottom, leave the hooks buried in the sand (unless it’s a lure I want to keep), and shove the mono in my pocket to throw away.

 

[Capt Gary]

You’ve got me thinking Gary. Over the years I’ve ignored hundreds of abandoned traps scattered around. We may not have the resources to clean up all the old traps, but we could start an education program where divers could easily break open abandoned traps to prevent other critters from becoming trapped in them – and probably make a pretty good dent in the problem. I already cut lose any mono I find attached to hooks on the bottom, leave the hooks buried in the sand (unless it’s a lure I want to keep), and shove the mono in my pocket to throw away.

You know now that you mention it that's not a bad idea. Education is the key to an idea getting implemended. I'm the president of the Upper Keys Association of Dive and Snorkel Operators in the Upper Keys. Most of the dive shops in Key Largo, Tavernier, and Islamorada are members. If we put together a program to educate the right way to dispose of debre without harming the reef, I could present it to the members and we could make a dent in this.

That's a great idea Bill51.....I'm going to see how we can get this going. Please stop by my shop next time you're in town, I'd like to personally thank you for a great job in saving the shark and on suggesting a great program that could make a difference.

Good Diving,

 

[WyCal]

Hey Gary,
Off the subject, but just wondering what you think of a voluntary ban by member operators on gloves in SPAs? Not everyone who wears gloves touches things, however I've noticed that just about everyone who touches, are wearing gloves. Although errant fins cause more damage, maybe banning gloves will make people think a little more about their impact on the reef (?).
Georgia

 

[Capt Gary]

Hey Gary,
Off the subject, but just wondering what you think of a voluntary ban by member operators on gloves in SPAs? Not everyone who wears gloves touches things, however I've noticed that just about everyone who touches, are wearing gloves. Although errant fins cause more damage, maybe banning gloves will make people think a little more about their impact on the reef (?).
Georgia

Not a bad idea. Certainly something to consider. When I bring up the clean the reef idea I'll mention this for input. Thanks for the post.

Good Diving,

 

[Bill51]

Hey Gary,
Off the subject, but just wondering what you think of a voluntary ban by member operators on gloves in SPAs? Not everyone who wears gloves touches things, however I've noticed that just about everyone who touches, are wearing gloves. Although errant fins cause more damage, maybe banning gloves will make people think a little more about their impact on the reef (?).
Georgia

I’ve got a little different take on the gloves thing as I never dive without having gloves on me even if I’m not wearing them. It’s also rare that I get back on the boat without a pocket full of trash – typically mono – and if I’ve been in the water for more than 20 minutes I won’t touch mono without gloves on (let alone ripping apart traps and dragging sharks around).

I know it’s tough to enforce no touchy rules on unguided dives, but the people damaging reefs are going to find someway no matter what we do. Maybe we have a complaint book on the boats where other divers can report touchy divers and if a specific diver has been reported by multiple people on multiple trips his/her name goes on a mandatory guide list. That would hit them in the pocket and embarrass the hell out of them too. FWIW – I was on a boat with some really bad touchy types a few years ago and video taped them. When I got back I showed the video to Michelle Cove and she banned them from diving with Stuart Cove’s unless they hired a DM guide.

Another reason I like to see some divers with gloves is that as much as we like to think otherwise not all divers have perfect buoyancy skills (none of our students from here though) and I heard that the Keys had some surge and currents once in a while (but maybe that’s a rumor). I’ve always taught students that IF you lose control and are about to hit a reef to hold yourself off with one finger on a dead part of the reef rather than letting your body crash into it. Without the protection of gloves a lot of divers would use a fin or their forearm protected by a wetsuit rather than risk sticking their bare finger onto a reef.

Better to educate divers than start regulating diving equipment.

 

[WyCal]

I agree that education is the key. I try to remind as many people as I can about good buoyancy and not touching or standing on the reef, but with as many people diving the reefs as there are, my efforts are a drop in the bucket. I'm suggesting that the dive ops here do something to bring reef conservation to the forefront. Also, I'm only suggesting the ban apply to SPAs, not the entire sanctuary.

 

[Scuba_Dad]

but with as many people diving the reefs as there are, my efforts are a drop in the bucket.

Remember... the great flood started with a drop of rain.

I've found the biggest reef molesters are divers who have been diving for decades. The only thing we can do as instructors is to teach our new divers to protect the reefs.