Utila lack of marine life

[alisondjones]

I spent a week in Utila (March) and was shocked by the lack of marine life on both the south and north sides of the island. I dived for 5 days, hoping critters would make themselves known. Literally went entire dives without spotting anything other than a few squirrelfish. One DM, a fairly recent arrival to Utila, said he, too, was surprised by the lack of marine life there. Research indicates that despite Utila's waters being part of a protected marine park, the locals fish there, and frequently. On my last morning, I was having breakfast at Neptune's when I witnessed two occupants of a small boat hop into the water, masks on, at the house reef. They spent a few minutes looking around underwater, then got back on the boat and left. I surmised they were scouting for fish to be caught. I can attest from snorkeling on the house reef, there were very few fish. I've dived for 25 years in many locales, and never seen such a beautiful, healthy reef with so little marine life. It was very sad.

 

[mar2112]

We had the opposite in experience St. Lucia a couple of weeks ago. There were more fish than we expected even in areas where, I don't know if it was legal, there was fishing.

 

[34109411]

I spent a week in Utila (March) and was shocked by the lack of marine life on both the south and north sides of the island. I dived for 5 days, hoping critters would make themselves known. Literally went entire dives without spotting anything other than a few squirrelfish. One DM, a fairly recent arrival to Utila, said he, too, was surprised by the lack of marine life there. Research indicates that despite Utila's waters being part of a protected marine park, the locals fish there, and frequently. On my last morning, I was having breakfast at Neptune's when I witnessed two occupants of a small boat hop into the water, masks on, at the house reef. They spent a few minutes looking around underwater, then got back on the boat and left. I surmised they were scouting for fish to be caught. I can attest from snorkeling on the house reef, there were very few fish. I've dived for 25 years in many locales, and never seen such a beautiful, healthy reef with so little marine life. It was very sad.

for the last 15 years the reef from cancun to utila along with the marine life is gone. Local will continue to fish either we like or not and this for there own survival. Mexico, Belize, Honduras a poor country. The tourism the hotel and the low wages doesn't allow the local to make a good
life out of it. The sea is like a grocery for them to feed there family.

Cheers