Dry Tortugas

[mike_s]

koh trip ?

inside joke.....

 

[SeaHound]

I agree that Ultimate Getaway is a great operation. Be sure to ask whether it is a spearfishing / lobstering trip or general diving / photo-trip. I was interested in photodives but got on the spearfishing trip!

There is a law which says that you cant enter the Tortugas area if you have catch on board and the actual Tortugas is where all the photographic dive sites were. It was still a lot of fun, with some very interesting drift dives and I made some friends too on the boat. The Captain and the crew were very good and while the boat may not have been a luxury cruiser, the treatment I got was VIP!

The best dive was Baja California and the giant groupers and marine life was amazing! It is my best dive EVER ...

I would gladly recommend Ultimate Getaways to anyone heading towards the Tortugas.

Regards -

S H

 

[Wookie]

KOH trip? most excellent idea.

Hopefully the Lionfish won't make it to the Tortugas....

at least the GulfStream flows east from there which might help prevent that some.

We reported a lionfish there in the Sanctuary in September, 2009.

 

[Scott L]

We reported a lionfish there in the Sanctuary in September, 2009.

Was it eliminated?

 

[Wookie]

Was it eliminated?

It is illegal to harm any fish within the Tortugas Ecological Reserve by any method. Grrrr. We reported it to NOAA, they looked for it two weeks later, but didn't find it. Huh. Go figure.

They promise that they will have a procedure in place. At some time.

 

[Scott L]

It is illegal to harm any fish within the Tortugas Ecological Reserve by any method. Grrrr. We reported it to NOAA, they looked for it two weeks later, but didn't find it. Huh. Go figure.

They promise that they will have a procedure in place. At some time.

That's the most ridiculous thing I have heard in awhile. An exception to the rule should already be in place. The Capt on a Jupiter charter boat speared one this past Saturday as well as another chater boat culling one nearby. That's the first that I have seen in person. NOAA wanted on ice then delivered to another LDS/charter operator who has some hand in all that. I could'nt understand why a diver floated up just his spear until I drew the gaff-hook closer to the boat and saw a small-medium sized lionfish at the end of the shaft. I was more excited about that than the big haul of bugs acquired that day...

 

[mike_s]

There is a law which says that you cant enter the Tortugas area if you have catch on board and the actual Tortugas is where all the photographic dive sites were.

what law is that?

There is a law that you can't spear/collect/fish for anything in the Marine Sanctuary, but you can enter them with catch on board....

The Ultimate Getaway did that every night on your trip most likely when they anchored in the lee of Fort Jefferson.

They just don't perform diving operations in the park after they've taken on fish from spearing or Lobsters caught because there is not way to prove that they were not done on the previous dive for exmaple.

that's just smart operations on the part of the Captain. Keeps him out of fines....

 

[Scott L]

It is illegal to harm any fish within the Tortugas Ecological Reserve by any method. Grrrr. We reported it to NOAA, they looked for it two weeks later, but didn't find it. Huh. Go figure.

They promise that they will have a procedure in place. At some time.

I was in Key Largo this past weekend and was discussing all things about Lionfish on a surface interval when a NOAA employee on board indicated they are studying all facets of Lionfish in the santuary with a special emphasis on breeding which is the reason for the prohibition of culling at this moment in time...

 

[Wookie]

I was in Key Largo this past weekend and was discussing all things about Lionfish on a surface interval when a NOAA employee on board indicated they are studying all facets of Lionfish in the santuary with a special emphasis on breeding which is the reason for the prohibition of culling at this moment in time...

Now you're bull****ting me. It's not illegal to cull in the sanctuary, nor in the SPA's, if you're trained and permitted (which I am). It is illegal to fish in the ecological reserve.

 

[Scott L]

Now you're bull****ting me. It's not illegal to cull in the sanctuary, nor in the SPA's, if you're trained and permitted (which I am). It is illegal to fish in the ecological reserve.

I am repeating hearsay information as heard while off-gassing between dives on vacation. I have better things to do with my time other than fact checking the information heard with NOAA management. This is a discussion board not a court of law. How did the lionfish spotted in September get past you? Back for training? Lol