Touching coz wildlife

[MrBigfins]

Lionfish aren't exactly a protected species in fact for any diver so equipped it's shoot on sight to save countless fish from being eaten by this voracious predator with no natural enemies. Who gives a crap if some DM is handling one?

If you are going to spear a lionfish fine, otherwise dont go fondling it anymore than you would something else. Just because I deer hunt doesnt mean I should harass a fawn. Or just because I eat cows, i dont condone abusing them.

The incident with the lionfish was after DM forcing 2 puffers to puff up, moving a seahorse so someone could get a pic, and grabbing a turtle by shell to turn it to the group. I listed that incident because he panicked that he thought it found its way into his bcd, and that was the only amusing part to me.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

i concur...just don't grope anything...why do you have to grope everything? keep your hands to yourself! #underseametoo

Kill the crap out of lionfish, but just don't grope them... new divers watch that stuff and are more likely to start touching stuff.

 

[MrBigfins]

i concur...just don't grope anything...why do you have to grope everything? keep your hands to yourself! #underseametoo

Kill the crap out of lionfish, but just don't grope them... new divers watch that stuff and are more likely to start touching stuff.

I loved the #underseametoo

 

[yle]

Oh that is infuriating! It's clear that the shark was getting agitated and did not LIKE being "petted." I wish the video would have gotten a clear and closer shot of the dive guide and/or the tank yokes - I can't figure out who it was.

This ais absolutley not ok - and this dive guide would be suspended by the marine park at the very least!

The video of the guide harassing the shark was posted in 2016. I took a look at another video that the same guy posted to youtube at the same time, looks like from the same trip. The rental gear one of the divers was wearing was labeled "Dive with George".

So I googled it. Here's the website. Cozumel:Dive with George/Home

Looks like a small operation run by Jorge Rosado. Don't know what this means to anyone familiar with day to day life on Coz, but I'll let you take it from here. If the guide in the video is Jorge, he might benefit from some retraining. (His website says he's been a divemaster for over 30 years.)

EDIT: the two videos were definitely taken the same day with the same guide. In the other video (on the guy's youtube account, Mike Sterkenburg) the pink fins worn by the girl in the video posted above clearly say "Dive with George"

Maybe you can use the DMs hair pattern at 2:03 on the video to help make a positive ID.

 

[uncfnp]

Kill the crap out of lionfish, but just don't grope them...

By all means. Anyone that wants to “grope” a lionfish, go for it! Might be one of the best lessons they learn that day.

 

[yle]

Oh that is infuriating! It's clear that the shark was getting agitated and did not LIKE being "petted." I wish the video would have gotten a clear and closer shot of the dive guide and/or the tank yokes - I can't figure out who it was.

Glad to be of service... see my previous post.

 

[yle]

Who gives a crap if some DM is handling one?

Because DMs are seen by many new divers as "guides"... not only on that one dive, but in how an experienced diver should behave. And many new divers wouldn't distinguish between harassing a lionfish and harassing anything else. Which means the damage done by this kind of DM's behavior multiplies all over the world as these new divers take this lesson with them on their travels.

DM training makes it pretty clear that DMs are role models, whether they want to be or not, and as such they need to be aware of how their behavior is interpreted by others.

You asked, so I answered. Any more questions I can help you with?

 

[Sallygirl]

Very disturbing video. I am glad to know that this is taken seriously, and there are sanctions.

 

[caruso]

You asked, so I answered. Any more questions I can help you with?

How can I save money on my car insurance?

 

[MMM]

Tanks are aluminum 80s so we know who it WASN'T. Not that this helps narrow it down much.

I wish the video would have gotten a clear and closer shot of the dive guide and/or the tank yokes - I can't figure out who it was.