Scuba diving operator

[steamboat]

i know that this topic would get blasted on standard scuba diving forums so decided to post here.

Does anyone know of a scuba diving operator that will let you collect a few things to bring home? I’m thinking of somewhere in Indonesia or the Phyllipines but really open to operations that are closer (Florida or Caribbean?). It would be really cool to bring a few things home but always get told not to touch anything or they will kick you off the boat for the rest of the week. Want to collect maybe a few zoas, mushrooms, or hard corals, by the books on one of our upcoming dive trips. Not looking for collect hundreds of corals, just a few special ones!

Thanks

 

[ReefCheif]

Yeah...You cant just dive and collect. There are procedures and laws in place for a reason.

 

[scchase]

Diver Tom in Florida used to offer this and I think above Seahorse reef might as well, rules for collecting in Florida are fairly simple and all you need is a standard fishing license and then to check the specifics. Finding a dive operator is the harder part though most of the Florida stuff can be collected right at shore as well. Hard corals are off the table in all US waters though mushrooms and zoas are easy just cant collect them with any rock attached. As far as overseas it gets much more difficult since you have to worry about CITES. I know of one place in Fiji that used to do this as well.

 

[SkyShark]

Yep, echoing what Scott said. This is certainly possible, but very challenging. Your best bet would probably be to partner with a local collector/exporter (though these are often not the same person/company). They would have the necessary permits in place and would be able to ship you the coral. I’ve heard of high rollers doing essentially this or other industry people doing this to cherry pick corals.

 

[SynDen]

Planning to go diving a fair amount next year in the Caribbean, so I would be interested to know if you find anyone that can do it.