What do you think about diving user fees?

[Mike Veitch]

a fee is fine, you pay $40 to dive palau between the two states of peleliu and koror, that gets you one month

but to discriminate between regular divers and photographers by 300%??!?!?!?! thats fi'n stupid

 

[greatwolf]

Just curious, I haven't been reading Philippine news that much lately, where did you hear about this? If so, are the sources reliable?

 

[Mike Veitch]

Just curious, I haven't been reading Philippine news that much lately, where did you hear about this? If so, are the sources reliable?

and you call yourself a manong?!!?>!


er..wait.. sorry...


we call you Lolo....


my mistake..

carry on

 

[Walter]

This is not exactly a new idea. For example, Bonaire has declared itself a marine park and charges every diver a fee to dive there. If the money is used to preserve the area and to provide dive infrastucture, I don't think it's a bad thing at all. My 2 cents'. -Clay

Bonaire recently changed this so it applies to all park users, not just divers.

If I recall, when I dove the Spiegel and the surrounding reefs in Florida we had to have a medallion of sorts that signified we paid a fee. This sound familar to anyone else?

Yes and no. In the upper Keys, the fee is voluntary. It is not a tax levied by the government. It is perfectly legal to dive the Grove and other wrecks in the area without paying the fee. OTOH, all(?) the operators participate in the program which could make it difficult to get anyone to agree to take you out if you don't buy a medallion. OTOH, while I voluntarily buy the medallion, I've never attached it to my BC and no one has ever asked to see it. If you rent a boat or go on a private boat, the issue is never raised. The medallion program only applies to the wrecks, not the reefs.

 

[Mampsa]

They are doind this in dumaguete, specifically dauin beach and apo island. there's a fee for diving, diving with a camera, bigger fee for diving with a video cam etc. I didn't mind paying the fees after seing how clean the reef was.

 

[pakman]

They are doind this in dumaguete, specifically dauin beach and apo island. there's a fee for diving, diving with a camera, bigger fee for diving with a video cam etc. I didn't mind paying the fees after seing how clean the reef was.

but they're not charging $10 per dive for bringing a camera right? I don't recall paying that much... I better check my receipt...

 

[Mike Veitch]

also, the extra cost for cameras is a great way to avoid ever having to host any sort of photo workshop or foto competition.... will always host them in a place that doesn't charge extra fees to photographers..

or have any freelance journalists come through... that way they won't have to worry about collecting too many fees as obviously they won't get that press coverage...

what a completely and utterly schtooopid way of thinking....

 

[Zippsy]

I agree with the "what good would that do" group. I'm happy to pay a fee if I can see exactly what the benefits are. I've been diving at the marine sanctuary at Gato Island and I was appalled at what is counted as a sanctuary there. The reef was covered with thousands of dead or dying fish, victims of the dynamite fishing that you could hear in the area. What good is paying for that kind of sanctuary?

 

[Ben_ca]

I'm opposed to it... there is too much room for corruption... (Like there's not any of that in the PI) And 3/10 $ US is a lot for the local divers... And they should do it like Bonaire... either all pay or no one pays... why single out divers

 

[alcina]

either all pay or no one pays...

I think you're preaching to the choir here, for sure!

A usage fee would definitely have a bearing on my decision making when I choose a diving destination. It doesn't necessarily keep me away - I've been to Cozumel twice with another trip planned for January (I'm so excited but pretty glad I bought an expandable dress ROFL).