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#20946
 Status of Red Tide in Palm Beach County Florida
Caloosa - 10/06/2018 11:59 AM
Category: General
Replies: 2
Can anyone provide an update for diving status off Palm Beach area, and under the Blue Heron Bridge? I am vacationing there next week, and would like info on current conditions, viz, water temp. and of course, any respiratory warnings due to red tide. Thanks for any replies.
#21070
LatitudeAdjustment - 10/06/2018 4:04 PM
Blue Heron Bridge got raped this week by Moody Gardens Aquarium from Galveston. :( Three divers collecting 8 hours a day for a week.

"I am livid, almost fit to be tied.The dive itself went relatively well until we came upon a group of about four young men with professional grade collecting devices, including sheet net, Big collecting box contained in mesh etc. Someone called the FWC. They came out and inspected a huge truck full of critters. They have been here all week from Texas A&M and the Moody Gardens Aquarium in Galveston. They have legal permits. Pike Blennies all gone, Jaw Fish all gone. Bat Fish all gone. Frog fish all gone. Many other Blennies and just about two of almost every other kind of fish were in their truck. I found no Mantis shrimp either. Huge tank with stacks of coolers in their truck. Just about raped BHB. Myself, Jim Abernathy and several others were there. I think we need to file a petition with the State, Texas A&M and the Moody Gardens Aquarium along with as many signatures as we can get to get these misguided people to stop collecting here." moodygardens.com/attractions/aquarium_pyramid/
#FWC #SCUBA #FLORIDA
#20946
Subscribed
Caloosa - 10/07/2018 6:34 AM
I am astonished that these organizations could garner such permissions for taking such large quantities, not to mention any quantities from the BHB dive site. There really needs to be a second look at how much the recreational dive community, not to mention the ecological concerns for preservation of all the species, are affected by this unneeded harvesting of so many species. It really seems hard to believe that legal permitting was secured by these two organizations. But these two organizations weren’t even from local or state facilities which may have somehow benefited citizens of Florida, which would still be a rationale I think would not be warranted. What a slap in the face for all the efforts of so many organizations and individuals to create the habitat structure for the dive and snorkel trail by so many. So what were they thinking? Was there a big profit by some government organization by the State, or Palm Beach County? Thanks for spreading the word on this. Like you I am astonished by this news!