Mini season, why the bad PR?

[The Chairman]

Now I do understand the Keys become a zoo,

It becomes a parking lot, not a zoo.

 

[RyanT]

It becomes a parking lot, not a zoo.

I dunno, kinda reminds of the scene in the original Jaws movie after they placed a bounty on the shark. Every yahoo in a 500 mile radius shows up in an overloaded boat throwing blood and dynamite in the water.

 

[scubadada]

Nowhere near that bad. I have gone on mini season boats as the only nonhunter and have, as usual, done fine, seeing essentially no other divers.

 

[DennisS]

I predict two

 

[txgoose]

I am not a Keys regular or native so this is not a good sample size. That said, I was in the Keys 2018 with my youngest during the week of mini season. One day on our boat ride out to the reefs (We went to the sanctuaries to avoid the bug hunters), there was a scuba buoy out in the navigation channel. Legal, yes. Endearing to the locals? Probably not so much.

We saw crowds but the captain of our boat said they were smaller than usual. One boat stuck in the grass and the buoy in the channel were really all we saw. The grass thing probably happens from time to time anyway.

 

[Johnoly]

...I'm seriously curious....

That's easy......Do you every listen to the VHF radio during your SI's? That's exactly why people say stuff like that. I dove today just to confirm what we've seen the last couple of weeks. I'm off our private boat and on a regular charter for mini-season, but have a good idea where to do some drops. I'm like you @Ana , this is my 24th straight year of mini-season and have never missed one,,,, just love it !!

.... FWC is bringing boats and grouper troopers in from all over the state to conduct road blocks leaving the keys..

I'm probably not helping with the problem either.
I tell everyone I know....."There's no lobster in Jupiter...Go to the Keys !! "

 

[Wookie]

I’m happy for you to have mine, Johnoly. I’m not a fan of lobsters without claws, I certainly wouldn’t dive for one, and I wouldn’t fight someone else for one either.

 

[seadweller]

The Key Largo fisheries is a good option , save on the fuel and the boating traffic .
The Backyard Cafe at the fisheries has a Lobster BLT !

Be safe and Happy hunting
Sea Dwellers

 

[HalcyonDaze]

It's enough of a concern for my colleagues that we try to avoid it, but then again we're often doing seagrass surveys inside high-traffic areas like Biscayne Bay and Sebastian Inlet - excellent spots to get run down by a "qualified captain."

 

[tekkydiver]

More importantly if you plan to participate in mini season, here are some last minute suggestions:

Double check your gear. BC, Reg, Make certain they are up to spec.
Put a gauge on you tanks, you don't want to turn your air on and discover you have a short fill
Make sure your snare is in good condition -- no cracks!
If you're stick and net person - check your net and bring an extra stick
Have a measuring gauge attached somewhere convenient
Check the zipper on your catch bag
If you're bringing a light, install fresh batteries
Have all your own stuff, defog, clips, gloves etc...
Start your ascent when you are supposed to, even if you see one more.
Remember, they ain't worth dying for.
Keep an eye on your buddy or group.
Stick close to the flag and you're never lost

Have Fun and Be Safe