Want to Hire a Deep Sea Diver for Fish Collection

[Johnoly]

We are talking about dozens of dives there with 0 guarantee of even finding the target species.

Stop laughing, this sounds like some of my lobster dives !!

 

[sea_ledford]

Thank you for your response. I appreciate your expertise.

From what I’ve seen, a pair (which is what I’m looking for) seems to range between $26,500 and $40,000. I wonder how they’re able to catch them at that price point. I imagine they aim to catch multiple at once to make it viable, but it sounds like they would need to collect a substantial amount.

I spoke with a diver several years ago who had collected Peppermint Angelfish. If I remember correctly, he charged around $6,000 per fish at the time, though I’m sure the price has increased since then. He mentioned that he would typically go on two dives and collect about 6–10 fish per dive.

There is a significant difference between:
Situation A: Diver lives in the correct location, has access to the facilities needed to support the (probably very high risk) dives, and collects whatever is viable during those dives.

and

Situation B: Mounting an expedition to 150M+ depths to collect several of a very specific species, bring them back alive, and to do it with a much more healthy safety margin.

I know of one team that was doing that, and they were supported by a $20 million grant. They were also doing it in the advancement of science, not just for hobbyist fish collectors to have a feather in their cap.

 

[arew+4]

Just send some local kids down on open circuit, if they float up with a fish their family gets paid. Paying tens of thousands of dollars for a fish, let alone one that is arguably blah, is some James Bond villain type stuff. You do you, I'll sit quietly in my corner and hope no one is maimed or killed for your vain pursuits.

 

[Quicklynx]

There is a significant difference between:
Situation A: Diver lives in the correct location, has access to the facilities needed to support the (probably very high risk) dives, and collects whatever is viable during those dives.

and

Situation B: Mounting an expedition to 150M+ depths to collect several of a very specific species, bring them back alive, and to do it with a much more healthy safety margin.

I know of one team that was doing that, and they were supported by a $20 million grant. They were also doing it in the advancement of science, not just for hobbyist fish collectors to have a feather in their cap.

Just send some local kids down on open circuit, if they float up with a fish their family gets paid. Paying tens of thousands of dollars for a fish, let alone one that is arguably blah, is some James Bond villain type stuff. You do you, I'll sit quietly in my corner and hope no one is maimed or killed for your vain pursuits.

Thank you for the responses and explanations. I appreciate the insights, and I apologize for my initial ignorance about how the collection process works. I now have a much better understanding.

While I would be putting these into my personal collection, my secondary goal is to get these fish to spawn. Many of the fish I currently keep are actively spawning, or I’m working to get them to that point. I collect the fry and send them to a small business, in Sarasota, Florida, run by two marine biologists who specialize in raising them. I have intent but to contribute to the hobby by supporting and advancing captive breeding. I’m fortunate to be in a position to pursue this and want to give back in this way.

In my original post, I was specifically looking for someone experienced in deep-water collection, not amateurs. I understand now just how dangerous this process is, far more than I initially realized, and I was naive to think it might be feasible to arrange a trip like this. I also recognize that purchasing fish already collected is the better path. If captive breeding succeeds, it could reduce the need for such risky dives altogether.

I never intended to come across as pompous or vain. I worked hard for what I have and did not grow up privileged. I did 11 years in the USMC, 8 of which I spent flying F-18s in and out of war zones, protecting my brothers and sisters, which included my brother (USMC Recon) and sister (US Army Apache Pilot). Frontline and hazard pay add up when you’re not spending on alcohol (I don’t drink,) Women (other than my wife of which I am happily married and loyal to,) or any other distractions. I’m deeply grateful for my opportunities, but my intent was never to flaunt them.

It’s clear now that I am unwelcome on this forum, so I will step away. Thank you all for your time, and I apologize if anything I said came across poorly. It was never my intention.

Moderators, please feel free to close this thread.

 

[arew+4]

If you were risking life and limb to collect them yourself I would still find it to be a silly and vain pursuit, but I would respect your efforts. Creating incentives for people to engage in dangerous activities so one can display a rare or difficult to acquire specimen is very cavalier at best.

And while the fact that your intent is to breed them to reduce/eliminate wild harvesting is laudable, I fear it only creates demand for other deep dwelling species and popularizes the branch of the hobby. I used to keep salt water tanks and gave it up after learning about the ways in which many of the specimens are collected.

 

[admikar]

If you were risking life and limb to collect them yourself I would still find it to be a silly and vain pursuit, but I would respect your efforts. Creating incentives for people to engage in dangerous activities so one can display a rare or difficult to acquire specimen is very cavalier at best.

And while the fact that your intent is to breed them to reduce/eliminate wild harvesting is laudable, I fear it only creates demand for other deep dwelling species and popularizes the branch of the hobby. I used to keep salt water tanks and gave it up after learning about the ways in which many of the specimens are collected.

Then you should be aware that it was hobbyists that developed most of the techniques and equipment to keep those species alive in a tank where they then can be studied by scientists.

While OP might have been ignorant of risks and obstacles, there is no need to pile up on him for what seems to be a legitimate interest.

 

[agilis]

If you were risking life and limb to collect them yourself I would still find it to be a silly and vain pursuit, but I would respect your efforts. Creating incentives for people to engage in dangerous activities so one can display a rare or difficult to acquire specimen is very cavalier at best.

And while the fact that your intent is to breed them to reduce/eliminate wild harvesting is laudable, I fear it only creates demand for other deep dwelling species and popularizes the branch of the hobby. I used to keep salt water tanks and gave it up after learning about the ways in which many of the specimens are collected.

Some of us SW fish keepers catch our own specimens. Most of what I have are tropical strays that the Gulf Stream brings up to NJ in late summer. The uncollected fish all die by November when water temps drop too low for them. I also have a couple of fish that I collected in the Caribbean, shipped in my checked luggage without a problem.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Thank you for the responses and explanations. I appreciate the insights, and I apologize for my initial ignorance about how the collection process works. I now have a much better understanding.

While I would be putting these into my personal collection, my secondary goal is to get these fish to spawn. Many of the fish I currently keep are actively spawning, or I’m working to get them to that point. I collect the fry and send them to a small business, in Sarasota, Florida, run by two marine biologists who specialize in raising them. I have intent but to contribute to the hobby by supporting and advancing captive breeding. I’m fortunate to be in a position to pursue this and want to give back in this way.

In my original post, I was specifically looking for someone experienced in deep-water collection, not amateurs. I understand now just how dangerous this process is, far more than I initially realized, and I was naive to think it might be feasible to arrange a trip like this. I also recognize that purchasing fish already collected is the better path. If captive breeding succeeds, it could reduce the need for such risky dives altogether.

I never intended to come across as pompous or vain. I worked hard for what I have and did not grow up privileged. I did 11 years in the USMC, 8 of which I spent flying F-18s in and out of war zones, protecting my brothers and sisters, which included my brother (USMC Recon) and sister (US Army Apache Pilot). Frontline and hazard pay add up when you’re not spending on alcohol (I don’t drink,) Women (other than my wife of which I am happily married and loyal to,) or any other distractions. I’m deeply grateful for my opportunities, but my intent was never to flaunt them.

It’s clear now that I am unwelcome on this forum, so I will step away. Thank you all for your time, and I apologize if anything I said came across poorly. It was never my intention.

Moderators, please feel free to close this thread.

You don't need to defend yourself or leave the forum, just roll with the punches.

 

[arew+4]

Some of us SW fish keepers catch our own specimens. Most of what I have are tropical strays that the Gulf Stream brings up to NJ in late summer. The uncollected fish all die by November when water temps drop too low for them. I also have a couple of fish that I collected in the Caribbean, shipped in my checked luggage without a problem.

Not bad mouthing the hobby or it's practitioners, I just decided it wasn't for me any longer, one reason was collection practices. Another was the unintended consequences of accidental release of non native species. Lionfish, no matter how they got into the Caribbean, big constrictors in Everglades etc.

 

[USdiver1]

Hmmm, I used to be a Spearo, might have to become a Slurpo if I read those prices for the little fishies right; but at those depths, it must be exclusively ROV acquisition.