DIVECOZUMEL
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We can only hope....................
TIME TO CREATE A PROTECTED AREA FOR SPOTTED EAGLE RAYS
El Semanario de Q. Roo
Cozumel diving guides are asking the environmental and other correspondent authorities to decree an area on the north zone of the island as a natural area for spotted eagle rays. This would prevent them from being killed by fishermen, says dive guide, Jaime Monsreal Pamplona, who said that you can meet rays in this area up to 5 meters in length.
He went on to explain that large-sized rays exist right now all around the island but there is a particular breeding grounds in the north zone where December to March as many as 15 rays have been seen at one time
The big rays are now not so plentiful as once they were, he continued, thanks in part to the fact that their offspring are the principal food source for cod and porgy. But also because they are sought by fishermen who often poach them without permissions.
"It has been scientifically proven that the spotted eagle ray's tongue helps to cure asthma," the guide told us. The meat is also very much in demand.
This has resulted in a great exploitation of a breed that, while not currently on the endangered species list, may soon join it if things keep up as they have been.
It is therefore necessary to decree a spotted eagle ray protected area where they can live and breed in peace. Because less and less are arriving every year and if this problem is not taken care of soon, they will cease to come at all.
Monsreal Pamplona commented that diving guides that don't have permissions to enter the marine park, often take divers to this attraction instead during the 3-month season when they come to Cozumel's northern coast.
"This species can be sighted to five meters in length by four meters in width and, being a very fearful sort, groups of no more than 4 divers at a time can swim out to them without giving them a big scare. "
Jaime Monsreal Pamplona asked for the Semamat, the Marine Park and other correponding authorities to to declare the area in front of Hotel Cantarell a Spotted Eagle Ray Protected Habitat. Otherwise, their disappearance will be imminent. He concluded by saying that since the rays are not on any endangered species list, their fishing is now quite common, which could easily result in the rays not returning to Cozumel in the near future.
TIME TO CREATE A PROTECTED AREA FOR SPOTTED EAGLE RAYS
El Semanario de Q. Roo
Cozumel diving guides are asking the environmental and other correspondent authorities to decree an area on the north zone of the island as a natural area for spotted eagle rays. This would prevent them from being killed by fishermen, says dive guide, Jaime Monsreal Pamplona, who said that you can meet rays in this area up to 5 meters in length.
He went on to explain that large-sized rays exist right now all around the island but there is a particular breeding grounds in the north zone where December to March as many as 15 rays have been seen at one time
The big rays are now not so plentiful as once they were, he continued, thanks in part to the fact that their offspring are the principal food source for cod and porgy. But also because they are sought by fishermen who often poach them without permissions.
"It has been scientifically proven that the spotted eagle ray's tongue helps to cure asthma," the guide told us. The meat is also very much in demand.
This has resulted in a great exploitation of a breed that, while not currently on the endangered species list, may soon join it if things keep up as they have been.
It is therefore necessary to decree a spotted eagle ray protected area where they can live and breed in peace. Because less and less are arriving every year and if this problem is not taken care of soon, they will cease to come at all.
Monsreal Pamplona commented that diving guides that don't have permissions to enter the marine park, often take divers to this attraction instead during the 3-month season when they come to Cozumel's northern coast.
"This species can be sighted to five meters in length by four meters in width and, being a very fearful sort, groups of no more than 4 divers at a time can swim out to them without giving them a big scare. "
Jaime Monsreal Pamplona asked for the Semamat, the Marine Park and other correponding authorities to to declare the area in front of Hotel Cantarell a Spotted Eagle Ray Protected Habitat. Otherwise, their disappearance will be imminent. He concluded by saying that since the rays are not on any endangered species list, their fishing is now quite common, which could easily result in the rays not returning to Cozumel in the near future.
