By Jorge Arias (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, June 9, 2007 - 11:24 pm: |
Hi all, We are from Uruguay and we are visting Bonaire for the first time on June 27th. We usually collect shells as a souvenir....Is it true that marine park regulations forbid this activity? Thanks for your answers
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By Bill Thorpe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #149) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 1:32 am: |
Hi Jorge,
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By Jane Rene Dozier (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 1:51 am: |
We were really surprised at how few shells there actually were when we were diving.
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By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #743) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 7:14 am: |
Marine Park regulations do in fact forbid taking shells.
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By Susan - www.bsdme.info (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #426) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 7:35 am: |
Check the new STINAPA web site for all sorts of information pertaining to both the BNMP and Washington Slagbaai National Park. They really did a great job and you can lose hours reading all the information provided!
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By Brian back in Blighty (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2983) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 1:00 pm: |
Look at the CITES agreement many forms of coral and shells etc. are protected. You could be prosecuted when you return home if you have "protected" items with you.
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By Mare (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1753) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 2:09 pm: |
Besides, if we all took shells home, where would the hermit crabs live?
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By Jorge Arias (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 5:58 pm: |
We will have then just to see those shells and avoid taking them home..I understand the regulation but at least for us sounds a bit strange. Thanks all.
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By Becky H - another with no trip in sight (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1178) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 7:46 pm: |
Just remember the divers motto: Take only pictures, leave only bubbles... or something to that effect.
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By Menno (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #124) on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 9:50 pm: |
Sadly most photographers leave a lot more then just bubbles .......
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By Bas Noij (BonaireTalker - Post #94) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 2:39 am: |
I fully agree with Menno on this. I think underwater photography is a beautiful thing, but sadly a lot (most) photographers care more about the shot than the environment. Very very sad. With the growing numbers of divers on the Bonairean reefs I really feel that more underwater patrols are needed and that there needs to be a system where dive operators control their guest on this issue when boatdiving.
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By Brian back in Blighty (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2984) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 3:21 am: |
My personal view is that each camera should require a separate Marine Park tag, then it could be revoked if the camera owner violates the park rules. Note I did not use the term Photographer.
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By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2084) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 5:58 am: |
i can assure you that photographers have more "accidents" with respect to the reef...but i'm pretty sure that's no reason to start sounding "judgemental" towards photographers...
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By Menno (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #126) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 9:14 am: |
Just forbid camera's that needs operating and handling with more then more hand in the BNMP. Those digital snapp-shot kind of camera's do a great job, especially when the diver actually can control his / her buoyancy........: Buoyancy control, another phrase where a lot of divers have heard from in the past but never have experienced themselves ...... A never ending story this is ......
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By Brian back in Blighty (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2985) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 10:18 am: |
Menno It's not the camera that causes the problem it is the diver. I have a large housed camera and pride myself on my bouancy control. I do see divers who are normally very good at keeping off the reef lose all control when taking pictures as the shot becomes the most important thing to them. - No shot is worth damage to the reef.
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By Menno (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #127) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 7:06 pm: |
I do agree with you Brian, but, it's not the gun either that does the damage - it's the person who pulls the trigger ....... better act when there is something left to do that for !!!!
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By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2086) on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 7:27 pm: |
it's more than buoyancy control...it's knowing when and where to take what sort of shot...experience counts...
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By Menno (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #128) on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 9:08 am: |
Oh so true Bob.
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By Angus Magrudder (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 9:33 pm: |
Menno - artificial reefs are a great training ground!
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By Menno (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #129) on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 10:17 am: |
It's not the divers who are the greatest threat to the reefs imho. Things like our sewage-system (the lack of having it), the Freewinds with their continious dumping, the way the fueling of the web happens, etc. etc. are a much bigger threat imho.
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By Jake Richter - NetTech/Bonaire Insider (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6167) on Thursday, June 14, 2007 - 4:33 pm: |
Regarding the original topic of discussion, Linda and I were talking about crafts made with shells and the cite from the STINAPA materials above. I don't know how good the folks at security are at understanding or detecting this, but there are two sources of shells on the island which do not originate in the Bonaire National Marine Park.
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By Sparty (BonaireTalker - Post #51) on Monday, June 25, 2007 - 10:29 pm: |
They also confiscate beach glass.
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By Glen Reem (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2570) on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 4:43 am: |
The beach glass is a good lead in to my question.
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