Hassling the Fish

[boulderjohn]

I'll even back off from an angry Sargeant Major. They're pretty cute when they're angry - but I also know they're protecting a nest so it's not fair to tease them.

I once made a terrible mistake with this. I was snorkeling with my non-diving wife, and I saw several sergeant majors defending their eggs below us. I wanted my wife to see how such a little fish would try to drive away a creature as big as I, so I went down and confronted it, intending to swim away as soon as it threatened me. But it didn't threaten me--it swam away in fear. I surfaced immediately, but the damage was done. As soon as the sergeant major went away from its nest, the other fish swarmed in. The sergeant major returned and tried to drive them away frantically, but there were too many for him, and soon there was not a touch of purple on the rock. Not a single egg was left to defend. I felt horrible, and I will never make that mistake again.

 

[uncfnp]

Beyond the pollution and climate, my personal opinion is that there is a greater impact to the coral of the reef from careless divers then to the odd fish. Divers damaging coral, that is my pet peeve.

 

[brnt999]

I don't think that divers depopulate the reef - unfortunately chaging climate and polution do this for us.

I do strongly believe in don't touch/move/harass the sea life though. I've dove with DMs who have learned to move with an animal in order to naturally keep in close for the divers to check out - these are my favorite dives. The most I'll do to "disturb" the sea life is to wave a bit of water their way or something (like with Christmas Tree worms), and I'm even selective with this - no need to hassle things like sea horses, I'd just be thrilled to see one!

I'll even back off from an angry Sargeant Major. They're pretty cute when they're angry - but I also know they're protecting a nest so it's not fair to tease them.

There are a few exceptions to this: I don't really have a problem with legal spearfishing or lobster collecting. I also know of a few creatures that it really does no harm to the creature to pick them up, and really it's great fun to hand one to a new diver (like the Donkey Dung sea cucumbers).

I guess the bottom line is: I feel as divers it's our responcibility to know what the impact of our actions are before handling the creatures. A brief touch to a turtle shell probably won't do it any harm, but drowning it sure will! getting the blowfish to puff up might be fun, but it definitely stresses them and shortens their lives (nevermind that you do risk your own fingers with the big guys!). I adore puffers - they are, strangely one of my favorite types of fish - and I LOVE seeing them stay alive long enough to get really big.

You make the claim that divers don't depopulate the reef as have a few others. Is that a claim based on fact and scientific study, or is that just a hunch?

 

[TMHeimer]

Beyond the pollution and climate, my personal opinion is that there is a greater impact to the coral of the reef from careless divers then to the odd fish. Divers damaging coral, that is my pet peeve.

I agree. But you are saying it's the careless damaging of a reef that people do that makes the difference. If the diver doesn't damage the reef, just touches an animal, how do you compare that to what other animals do regarding hassling? Just curious.

From other posts:
Seems that catching lobsters to eat, spearfishing to eat has also taken some criticism. This is interesting. I always felt like many, that it's OK to fish and hunt if you eat it. If the commercial fisherman caught only half of what they have the last many decades and dumped it all in a field in Kansas with nothing being eaten, the fish populations would be way better now anyway, no? Eating stuff can be a big culprit, but you have to look at the big picture on both sides of this.

 

[rmh84]

You make the claim that divers don't depopulate the reef as have a few others. Is that a claim based on fact and scientific study, or is that just a hunch?

It's opinion partially, as well every article I've read about decreased fish populations never once have I seen a statement that "divers chased them away". It's always a decreased suitability of habitat as caused by climate change/polution/coral destroyed due to weather/overfishing/etc.

Also, experience. I like to be on the bottom, 5" from the reef most of the time. Peering into crevices, etc. Unless I'm too close to a nest, most of the fish couldn't care one whit that I'm there that close disturbing their water.

Also - as to spearfishers: Be selective. There are a few fish that still have a spearfishing season that as an informed diver I know there is real risk that species is somewhat at risk (like grouper). If I was to take up spearfishing, I would not take part in grouper season. Perhaps it's from growing up in a small town where many people hunt - but I have no problem with hunting/fishing as long as you are abreast of exactly what it is you're going for and how their population is holding up.

 

[Hank49]

We don't belong there. .

I don't like to see someone kick a staghorn coral and break it, but I don't agree that we don't belong there.
We just have to be smart enough not to over exploit it. Which may take another few thousand years.....

 

[uncfnp]

I agree. But you are saying it's the careless damaging of a reef that people do that makes the difference. If the diver doesn't damage the reef, just touches an animal, how do you compare that to what other animals do regarding hassling? Just curious.

From other posts:
Seems that catching lobsters to eat, spearfishing to eat has also taken some criticism. This is interesting. I always felt like many, that it's OK to fish and hunt if you eat it. If the commercial fisherman caught only half of what they have the last many decades and dumped it all in a field in Kansas with nothing being eaten, the fish populations would be way better now anyway, no? Eating stuff can be a big culprit, but you have to look at the big picture on both sides of this.

As in most things in life, I think a little common sense can go a long way. Do I agree in deliberate harm to any creature? No. Do I support the DM that reportedly (did not witness) squeezed a sea cucumber to "see the stuff come out"? H*** no. Am I ok with the occasional diver gently coaxing an eel to come out? Can't say I would take up arms against this. Spear fishing? Eat what you catch. Same for lobsters if done legally. Divers can't began to compete with the impact of commercial fishermen.

But stay off the coral!

 

[BDSC]

Probably the only thing I have ever done in my 22 years of diving that may have been questionable was in Cozumel. I was on a night dive with just my buddy and the DM from a local shop. So before we went in he asked if we wanted to help him catch a few lobster and we would have them for dinner back at his house. So we ended up catching maybe 8 or 10 that night and had a feast afterwards! But that's the only time so in 22 years that's not so bad I guess.

OK. So it's been like 5 hours or so when I posted the above which is a complete lie. I just knew someone would pound me for taking lobsters in a marine park with a DM who would know better. And so I waited and waited and no one "took the bait". (Get it.......took the bait) Of course I would have come back with "April Fools". But there is still time to post some BS on another thread before this day is over!

 

[rmh84]

OK. So it's been like 5 hours or so when I posted the above which is a complete lie. I just knew someone would pound me for taking lobsters in a marine park with a DM who would know better. And so I waited and waited and no one "took the bait". (Get it.......took the bait) Of course I would have come back with "April Fools". But there is still time to post some BS on another thread before this day is over!

I've never been to Cozumel, so didn't realize it was a marine park! Now, had your location been Bonaire I'd have caught the joke

 

[brnt999]

OK. So it's been like 5 hours or so when I posted the above which is a complete lie. I just knew someone would pound me for taking lobsters in a marine park with a DM who would know better. And so I waited and waited and no one "took the bait". (Get it.......took the bait) Of course I would have come back with "April Fools". But there is still time to post some BS on another thread before this day is over!

We believed you the first time, and don't believe you now.