[Coral-List] Diver distance from Reef
Steve Mussman
sealab at earthlink.net
Mon Jul 29 20:31:24 EDT 2013
To all,
This thread exposes the practical difficulties inherent in
developing protocols designed to protect coral reefs from damage imposed by
divers. I'm not sure that a mandated minimum distance is the best approach
although a suggested range might be recommended.
There are several factors to consider in addition to the obvious
problems of enforcement that would be central to any strict minimum distance
regulation. Even a two meter limit presents hazards to coral reefs if divers
are incompetent while a skilled diver can hover innocuously at a much closer
range. Photography, lionfish hunting, night diving, caverns and
swim-throughs all present additional challenges to strict distance limits.
Based on my experiences, requiring well trained dive masters who
can educate, guide and oversee a limited number of divers is the best
solution. Dive masters in the Yucatan and other regions are generally highly
motivated, conscientious and truly care about protecting their reefs.
Empower them and let them use their own discretion based on an evaluation of
the skill level of individual divers.
We certainly can't leave it to the scuba industry. If protecting and
conserving coral reefs were a genuine objective dive training agencies would
already be implementing higher standards that require basic education
regarding coral reef ecology and advanced buoyancy control before allowing
divers into MPAs. But in the end these forces are more focused on economic
growth and can't be relied upon to effectively address critical
environmental issues. One only has to examine the industry's public position
on climate change as it applies to coral reefs to divulge this reality. Oh
wait a minute, they don't have a clearly articulated position on climate
change. . . It must not be a threat after all.
Regards,
Steve Mussman
Sea Lab Diving
-----Original Message-----
>From: Gregor Hodgson
>Sent: Jul 27, 2013 1:49 PM
>To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov"
>Subject: [Coral-List] Diver distance from Reef
>
>Parks might want to consider a 2 m (or 6 feet) distance from a practical
>standpoint. Most divers are about 2 m long (tall) when in the water with
>fins but with legs bent, oriented at an angle and not completely stretched
>out. Hence any distance less than that risks bumping into the reef
>inadvertently when turning. It might be easier to remember and for divers
to
>conceptualize a body length of 2 m than 1.5.
>
>That being said, a lot of photographers enjoy macro-photography and a lot
of
>divers are photographers. By zoning the entire park as 2 m distance only,
>you are excluding macro-photographers. Also lot of dive guides like showing
>small creatures such as anemone shrimp to customers.
>
>Perhaps there should be a zone where closer observation/photography is
>permitted or when a guide is present who can enforce/remind?
>
>Regards,
>
>Gregor Hodgson, PhD
>Executive Director
>Reef Check Foundation
>PO Box 1057 (mail)
>17575 Pacific Coast Highway (overnight)
>Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 USA
>T: 1 310-230-2371 or 2360
>Gregorh at reefcheck.org
>Skype: gregorh001
>
>
>From:
>Reply-To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov"
>Date: Saturday, July 27, 2013 9:00 AM
>To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov"
>Subject: Coral-List Digest, Vol 59, Issue 23
>
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>
>
>Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Arrecife Alacranes Park manager needs documentation for
> proposed regulation re: divers distance from reef (Sustento
> t?cnico para regla de buceo en PN Arrecife Alacranes (Mexico):
> distancia del buzo al arrecife) (Georgina Bustamante)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:00:49 -0400
>From: "Georgina Bustamante"
>Subject: [Coral-List] Arrecife Alacranes Park manager needs
>documentation for proposed regulation re: divers distance from reef
>(Sustento t?cnico para regla de buceo en PN Arrecife Alacranes
>(Mexico): distancia del buzo al arrecife)
>To: "CaMPAM Forum" , "'coral list'"
>, "'Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries
>Institute Network'" , "'Bruce Potter at
>IRF'" ,
>
>Message-ID: <09ec01ce8971$aa681260$ff383720$@com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>(My translation to English below)
>
>
>
>
>
>El colega Ren? Kant?n, director del Parque Nacional Arrecifes Alacranes,
>necesita ayuda para apoyar una nueva regulaci?n en el parque: los
buceadores
>deben mantener una distancia m?nima de 1.5m del arrecife.
>
>Favor de leer su mensaje abajo y comunicarse con el si puede ayudarlo.
>
>
>
>GB
>
>
>
>
>
>From: Rene Humberto Kantun Palma [mailto:rkantun at conanp.gob.mx]
>Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2013 2:53 PM
>To: gbustamante09 at gmail.com
>Cc: renekantun at hotmail.com
>Subject: RV: Sustento t?cnico para buceo
>
>
>
>
>
>Estimada Georgina:
>
>
>
>Una disculpa por distraerte de tus m?ltiples ocupaciones.
>
>
>
>Te comento que estamos en el proceso de modificaci?n del Programa de Manejo
>del Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes, en el estado de Yucat?n, M?xico; en
>dicho documento estamos proponiendo incorporar como regla administrativa,
>respetar, en las pr?cticas de buceo, una distancia m?nima de 1.5 metros de
>las formaciones coralinas, con objeto de evitar da?os a las mismas. Hemos
>hecho una investigaci?n bibliogr?fica, pero ninguna de las publicaciones
>habla fehacientemente que para realizar sustentablemente el buceo se debe
>respetar distancia alguna, solo mencionan buenas pr?cticas y controlar la
>flotabilidad, incluso algunas AMP de M?xico contemplan o proponen
>distancias, pero no se?alan metodolog?a alguna para determinarlo, peor a?n,
>proponen distancias diferentes (Sian Ka?an 2.5, Cozumel 1.5, etc.).
>
>
>
>Con base en lo anterior, atentamente te solicito tu apoyo a fin de que a
>trav?s de tu red de contactos puedas hacer la respectiva consulta, de lo
>cual estoy seguro que algo saldr? en alg?n lugar del mundo, lo que
permitir?
>fortalecer la propuesta de imponer una distancia m?nima al realizar el
buceo
>en el PNAA.
>
>
>
>Por el amable tiempo de haber revisado el presente correo, te agradezco
>infinito y aprovecho para enviarte saludos, con la esperanza que nos
>saludemos pronto, quiz?s en M?rida??
>
>Espero tus comentarios.
>
>Cordialmente
>
>RK
>
>
>
>
>
>Lic. Ren? H. Kant?n Palma
>
>Comisi?n Nacional de ?reas Naturales Protegidas
>
>Director
>
>Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes
>
>Reserva de la Biosfera R?a Celest?n
>
>Calle 18 No, 120 X Av. P?rez Ponce, Col. Itzimn?
>
>M?rida, Yucat?n, C.P. 97100
>
>Tel. 999 938 07 09 / 999 938 07 08
>
>Ext. 101 y 106
>
>renekantun at hotmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>La informaci?n que se env?a al destinatario mediante esta
>transmisi?n es propiedad exclusiva de la Comisi?n
>Nacional de ?reas Naturales Protegidas. Si usted no es el
>destinatario de esta informaci?n o si la ha recibido por
>error, se le comunica que la copia, distribuci?n,
>modificaci?n, retransmisi?n, revelaci?n o uso en cualquier
>forma, est? estrictamente prohibida.
>
>------------------------
>
>CaMPAM members,
>
>Our colleague Rene Kantun, director of Arrecifes de Alacranes NP, need your
>help to Support a proposed regulation: for divers to keep a 1.5m distance
>from the reef.
>
>Read my English translation of his message below, and contact him if you
can
>help.
>
>
>
>GB
>
>
>
>Dear Georgina:
>
>An apology for distracting from your busy schedule.
>
>We are in the process of modifying the Management Program of Alacranes
>Reefs National Park, Yucatan, Mexico. We are proposing to incorporate a new
>regulation on diving practices re: a minimum distance of 1.5 m to coral
>formations in order to avoid damage to them. We conducted a literature
>search, but none of the publications justifies convincingly the distance to
>be respected, just mention good practice and control buoyancy, even some of
>Mexico AMP (2.5m for Sian Ka'an, 1.5m for Cozumel, etc..).
>
>Based on the above, I request your support for this query thru your network
>and contacts. I hope something will come out somewhere in the world, which
>will strengthen the proposal to impose minimum distance to make diving in
>the NPAA.
>
>Thank you ??. hoping to greet us soon, maybe in Merida??
>I await your comments.
>Cordially
>RK
>
>Lic. Ren? H. Kant?n Palma
>
>Comisi?n Nacional de ?reas Naturales Protegidas
>
>Director
>
>Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes
>
>Reserva de la Biosfera R?a Celest?n
>
>Calle 18 No, 120 X Av. P?rez Ponce, Col. Itzimn?
>
>M?rida, Yucat?n, C.P. 97100
>
>Tel. 999 938 07 09 / 999 938 07 08
>
>Ext. 101 y 106
>
>renekantun at hotmail.com
>
> ??
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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>End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 59, Issue 23
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