Posted by mike on March 14, 2001 at 12:48:17:
In Reply to: Re: This is no pig hunt posted by randy54 on March 14, 2001 at 06:15:54:
but should the worst case scenario play out, and ALL DIVERS end up excluded from no-take zones (as MAY ('till i get better info) be the case with a part of the Dry Tortugas off of Florida), we will have no one to blame but ourselves. The DFG is far too underfunded to even catch ONE TENTH of the POACHERS out there. What makes anyone think that they would actively partol such far-flung no take zones? At least by allowing divers in the no take zones, they get extra sets of eyes and ears out there, and boat captains and divers who see some asshole pulling up a net full of white sea-bass or spearing black (giant) sea-bass (or even sheepshead in a no-take zone) hopefully wouldn't hesitate to get on the radio let the authorities know about it.
By looking out for our own interests as divers, boat captains, and dive-shop owners, we are not necessarily working against the idea of no-take preserves, we are merely protecting out benign (as well as not so benign) interests.
Now, lets do something worthwhile, such as banning commercial lobster trapping off of PV ;)