[Coral-List] Diver distance from Reef

Julian @ Reef Check julian at reefcheck.org.my
Tue Jul 30 21:42:31 EDT 2013


Steve
I must support your email. I've just spent the weekend on Tioman island, off
Malaysia's East coast, and if anyone doubts that the dive industry (and the
wider tourism industry) is NOT doing enough about reef conservation, that
would be a good place to start your research. Little in the way of diver
supervision limits, except those imposed by the few conscientious dive
operators; little in the way of involvement in conservation projects, except
those implemented by the few conscientious dive operators - most won't even
consider getting involved in dives to remove nets from the reef! And tourist
numbers just keep growing...

PADI, NAUI and all the others have no interest whatsoever in reef
conservation as you say - witness the thin attempts to greenwash the
industry with programmes like project aware. That's mainly a marketing tool
for dive operators, who fill their dive centre with lots of customers to
help clean reefs...in fact so many customers they end up doing more damage
than the conservation value of the dives. Been there, seen it with my own
eyes...and I can hear the response from PADI ringing in my ears already...

I have tried framing the reef conservation message in terms businessmen
might understand. No point telling dive operators how wonderful and diverse
reefs are - that's generally why they became divers in the first place.
Better to encourage them to see it as a productive business asset. Perhaps
an approach along the lines of "if Ford stopped maintaining its production
line, it wouldn't produce any more cars; if Malaysia Airlines stopped
maintaining its aircraft they would start falling out of the skies...and if
you don't start maintaining your coral reefs, which are your most important
business asset, then you too will go out of business." Too hard, cold and
commercial? Well, that's what dive operators are - businessmen. Perhaps we
should try talking to them like businessmen.

Regards

Julian Hyde
General Manager
Reef Check Malaysia Bhd
03 2161 5948
www.reefcheck.org.my
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rcmalaysia

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generations can no longer be taken for granted."

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Mussman
Sent: Tuesday, 30 July, 2013 8:31 AM
To: Gregor Hodgson; Georgina Bustamate; Rene Kantun
Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Diver distance from Reef


   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
   >
   >Send Coral-List mailing list submissions to
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   >
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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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   >
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   >
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