Contents of Scuba Sport Magazine - MAR-APR 2012

Scuba Sport Magazine is the only scuba magazine that offers diving news, dive travel, scuba gear, diving destinations and underwater photography that caters to the recreational diver.

Page 33 of 51

These days, of course, you don't have WR Á\
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alleged drug smuggler, or use a rebreather WR SKRWRJUDSK OLRQÀVK $V PRVW RI XV DOO know, the winged buggers have invaded the gentle waters of green moray eels and Nassau grouper. Yes, from the Bahamas down to Venezuela, and from Boston to %HUPXGD WKH OLRQÀVK IRUPHUO\ NQRZQ DV D 3DFLÀF VSHFLHV KDV OLNH PDQ\ 1HZ How this critter landed on this side of the world is a source of debate and, ultimately, it doesn't matter how. The bigger question is how many? Their population is surging to the point that divers are being asked WR VKRRW ÀUVW DQG DVN TXHVWLRQV ODWHU Questions like, "does it taste better with lemon butter or with garlic salt?" Finally ZH FDQ NLOO DQG HDW D ÀVK ZLWKRXW HFR ZDUULRUV UHLJQLQJ JLDQW ÀUHEDOOV RI JXLOW GRZQ upon us. Governments and conservation organizations are actually imploring divers to seek and destroy this invasive and, IRUWXQDWHO\ TXLWH GHOLFLRXV ÀVK
:KHQ WKH H[SHUWV UHDOL]HG WKDW OLRQÀVK ZHUH not going to pack their little bags and go home, it became politically correct to REOLWHUDWH WKH EHDXWLIXO ÀVK 7RXUQDPHQWV (commonly called "derbies") have been sprouting up throughout the Bahamas and up and down the Florida Keys. One event
near Key Largo in 2010 netted a total of 534 OLRQÀVK VSHDUHG LQ RQH GD\
REEF, the Reef Environmental Education )RXQGDWLRQ KDV EHHQ SXVKLQJ WKH OLRQÀVK eradication agenda, even publishing a OLRQÀVK FRRNERRN WKH\ VD\ LW WDVWHV NLQG RI like lobster). There's a special pole spear (it's shorter) made for the spiny critter. A ZHEVLWH FDOOHG ZZZ GHDWKWROLRQÀVK RUJ KDV maps, recipes, and a humorous YouTube Public Service Announcement. Well, it's supposed to be funny. And REEF's website ZZZ UHHI RUJ LV WKH XOWLPDWH OLRQÀVK resource. REEF also holds numerous derbies. In 2011, REEF-sponsored derbies brought LQ
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industry is spawning, almost as fast as the ÀVK WKHPVHOYHV
The overriding question remains: can we actually eradicate these pests from our waters? I have two words for you: Dodo bird. Oh, and western buffalo. Um, how about sea cow. Did I say Bengal tigers? Hell, you get the idea. Give mankind a gun and a few years and we should be able to wipe out any species we set our mind to. We're that good. Especially when the species in question tastes delicious.
"With current technology and resources, eradication is not on the table," says Lad Akins, who was the director of REEF for many years but has now focused his HQHUJ\ WRZDUG OLRQÀVK PDQDJHPHQW IXOO
photo by Ty Sawyer 34 ScubaSport 4