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Posted by seahunt on March 11, 2012 at 13:48:27:
In Reply to: Re: Re: I Otter Be Diving posted by Max Bottomtime on March 11, 2012 at 09:06:32:
>> Along the Central Coast where the otters live are thriving reefs. Shellfish, sea stars and abalone can still be found in
large numbers. Huh? I dove for years from Point Sal to Ragged Point and saw only 3 red abalone in the whole time. I dove behind Lion Rock
and saw where all the little teeny shells were left by the otters. they were all tiny. I saw the fish, anemones, corals
and beautiful algaes, but no shell fish. The rocks are scraped clean in places that look like there might be cover for
shellfish. In other areas, yes the kelp was quite healthy, but it was so thick as to be undivable even for me. I love thick
kelp, but without any trimming, a diver cannot penetrate it or see anything. Either it is too thick on the bottom or
completely dark under the canopy. I would swim the edges of the
ref. Plan on abandoning most dive areas if there are otters. >"They are the world's gratest eating machine- they eat and
destroy every thing with in their......abilities."
>Um, that would be HUMANS.
No, amazingly they are worse than humans!!! If I am trained in anything it is intertidal marine biology. There is something
unnatural about otters. There are seals where there are sharks. There are sea lions where there are still fish. It's not like
that where there are otters. Consider Pismo Beach. There will never again be anything there, but a few small clams.
Turtles, salmon and many other species spawn all at once so that they don't have a situation of predators just sitting
waiting for food to constantly flow to them. It is that situation with otters. They just stay there and eat. It is a
harsh life for them sitting constantly at the edge of starvation in the same over exploited area.
I feel so bad about the blue sharks. I have no feeling for the otters.
Regards, seahunt
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