[Coral-List] NGOs, Corals and Dive Industry

[Eugene Shinn]

I am a little surprise that this anti DEMA thread has lasted this long. 
Does not DEMA represent the diving equipment manufacturers? Is selling 
more equipment in their best interests? Is it not likely that this bill 
everyone is citing might lead to closing more areas to diving? And, 
might this action lead to less equipment sales? I suspect most of you 
have heard that part of the reef problem (other than the usual suspects) 
is divers 1) touching coral, 2) divers urinating, 3) sunscreen causing 
bleaching, 4) divers turning over corals in search of lobster etc. etc. 
Those could be cited as reasons to close diving in certain areas. One 
can envision the leaders of these companies sitting around pondering how 
to look green and at the same time keep selling the latest model 
regulators etc. Just be careful about what you wish for. You just might 
eventually be hearing something like, "If you like your old dive 
equipment you can keep it." Gene

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No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
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E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
College of Marine Science Room 221A
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158
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