[Coral-List] Florida allows grouper kil

[Steve Mussman]

I’m afraid that there is already a great deal of social pressure being exerted, but unfortunately much of it in the wrong direction. Many view it as a freedom issue. (Sound familiar?). Most, if not all scuba certification agencies offer “Underwater Hunter” certifications and I’ve heard a number of discussions on dive boats among scuba-equipped spearfishers about the desirability of shooting a Goliath Grouper. I imagine it’s the same motivation that comes into play with (terrestrial) big game trophy hunting. Going to take a major shift in how we view our relationship with the natural world if we are to reverse course and save any number of threatened species . . . to say nothing of coral reefs. Just another manifestation of the greater problem - a culture war whereby a good portion of the population impulsively rejects any science-based data and information that challenges their deeply held tribal beliefs. My ocean optimism is once again wearing thin.

Regards,

Steve Mussman

On 10/16/21, 8:02 AM, Phillip Dustan via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

This is awful, yet typical of the "me first" society that allows

spearfishing using SCUBA gear.

Perhaps a campaign of shaming might do something?

I can envision a "Real men and women don't kill Goliath Grouper, the gentle

giants of Florida"

Social pressure might be more powerful that a regulatory system that is

supposedly based on scientific understanding.

On Sat, Oct 16, 2021 at 6:29 AM Douglas Fenner via Coral-List <

coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Overruling scientists, Florida Commission authorizes fishing of the

> vulnerable Goliath grouper

>

>

> https://www.science.org/content/article/overruling-scientists-florida-commission-authorizes-fishing-vulnerable-goliath-grouper

>

> open-access

>

> Cheers, Doug

>

> --

> Douglas Fenner

> Lynker Technologies, LLC, Contractor

> NOAA Fisheries Service

> Pacific Islands Regional Office

> Honolulu

> and:

> Coral Reef Consulting

> PO Box 997390

> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799-6298 USA

>

> None of the world’s major economies, including those in the G20 group, have

> a sufficient plan to meet their obligations under the Paris Agreement on

> climate change.

>

> Humans are driving one million species to extinction

> https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01448-4

>

> Slashing emissions by 2050 isn't enough. We can bring down temperature

> now.

>

> https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/climate-deadlines-super-pollutants-hfcs-methane/2021/04/15/acb8c612-9d7d-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html

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--

Phillip Dustan PhD

Charleston SC 29424

843-953-8086 office

843-224-3321 (mobile)

"When we try to pick out anything by itself

we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords

that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe. "

* John Muir 1869*

*A Swim Through TIme on Carysfort Reef*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCPJE7UE6sA

*Raja Ampat Sustainability Project video*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RR2SazW_VY&fbclid=IwAR09oZkEk8wQkK6LN3XzVGPgAWSujACyUfe2Ist__nYxRRSkDE_jAYqkJ7A

*Bali Coral Bleaching 2016 video*

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxOfLTnPSUo

*

TEDx Charleston on saving coral reefs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwENBNrfKj4

Google Scholar Citations:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HCwfXZ0AAAAJ

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