In Reply to: Slander of dive boats posted by Paul on March 01, 2006 at 11:08:40:

I have only one pet peeve with dive boats, but my problem is not with any one particular boat or their diver service really, but with the irresponsible people who are allowed to use them. With the ocean eco systems being so fragile, and the success of dive boat business being so dependent on that eco system, why in the hell would they allow divers to hunt and kill fish that are obviously out of season or too small. There are certain charter clubs and shops that are known to be trouble when they go out on dive boats. I think that dive boat captains are turning a blind eye allowing these people the take small or illegal fish, lobsters and even abalones as I saw. It happens constantly when I happen to be diving with them. I hear stories from other dive friends who see the same thing. It looks like some kind of social game with them. I have seen it happen. I told the captains. They generally said to call the poaching hotline. Once I called the tip hotline to report three divers I saw keep obviously small lobsters and off limit abalones while we were still at Catalina. As far as I can tell, nothing was ever done. I saw them a month later doing almost the exact thing again. This is freaking frustrating!!!! What does it take to get this total disregard of diver responsibility reversed? Should we as divers start to boycott dive boats that do business with these people? I mean Christ it’s our ocean too. I for one want to still have it available for my grandkids down the road.