Fishing the dive sites - 08/15/07 05:09 PM
Fishing the dive sites
Yesterday when our dive boat pulled up to the mooring buoy at the Tres Cocos dive site a large fishing boat named 'Sly Dog' was had dropped anchor on the reef and was fishing the dive site. They pulled up anchor and left when they saw us. Another smaller boat (skif) was tied to the dive mooring and had also dropped fishing lines on the dive site. He was close enough to suffer our remarks and did hasty retreat. The rope used by the tourist divers to descend along was tangled in fishing hooks and mono filament fishing line the spot where 'Sly Dog' had dropped anchor had sponge and coral dug up from the anchor dragging on the reef.
The Fisheries dept, Port Authority and Tour Guides association all have rules/laws governing fishing on the reef but any activity on the ocean is difficult to monitor, so we have to rely on governing ourselves. Distance your fishing activities from the dive sites and don't drop anchor on the reef. Do not tie fishing boats to dive moorings. The last thing you want is a pissed off San Pedro Tour guide teaching you manners, it will hurt.
Fishing and Diving seem to be a natural conflict but if we have some mutual respect for one another's sport, I'm sure we can get along even living on a small island together.
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Yesterday when our dive boat pulled up to the mooring buoy at the Tres Cocos dive site a large fishing boat named 'Sly Dog' was had dropped anchor on the reef and was fishing the dive site. They pulled up anchor and left when they saw us. Another smaller boat (skif) was tied to the dive mooring and had also dropped fishing lines on the dive site. He was close enough to suffer our remarks and did hasty retreat. The rope used by the tourist divers to descend along was tangled in fishing hooks and mono filament fishing line the spot where 'Sly Dog' had dropped anchor had sponge and coral dug up from the anchor dragging on the reef.
The Fisheries dept, Port Authority and Tour Guides association all have rules/laws governing fishing on the reef but any activity on the ocean is difficult to monitor, so we have to rely on governing ourselves. Distance your fishing activities from the dive sites and don't drop anchor on the reef. Do not tie fishing boats to dive moorings. The last thing you want is a pissed off San Pedro Tour guide teaching you manners, it will hurt.
Fishing and Diving seem to be a natural conflict but if we have some mutual respect for one another's sport, I'm sure we can get along even living on a small island together.
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