Marine Reserve at Turneffe

    Sunday is my birthday and I try to make it out to Turneffe every year. (Snapper birthday to me thread) This time of year it's loaded with cuberas.


    But, and I think this is good news, there will be no more trips there, other than to just dive and look at the fish. it's officially been declared a "Conservation Zone". No extraction fishing and no spearfishing.


    I hope they can enforce it. It is a special place. When the fish are there in spawning aggregation it's a sight to behold. If it were in some other countries it would have been wiped out long ago.


    Just north of there on the west side is still open to diving and spearing. It has fish also but not even close to Caye Bokel levels.


    Right on Belize. Good luck with maintaining this resource !!:thumbsup2:

    Quote from Marco

    Yeah! Happy birthday.


    I won't be so exited with a marine protected area. It will lead to more closures.


    Good luck!


    It is a tough one Marco. But if there were 40 other guys with your skills here, it could put a hurting' on the cubera populations. It is a special place these three months of the year.
    Gladden Spit, to the south does the same thing in March April and May. Huge snapper spawning....dogs and cuberas I think....and that's why the whale sharks show up every year. They graze down the eggs as they spawn. I think they should open a season on whale sharks, to tell you the truth.... so we'd have more snappers....goddammmit....:laughing:

    Quote from hank

    It is a tough one Marco. But if there were 40 other guys with your skills here, it could put a hurting' on the cubera populations. It is a special place these three months of the year.
    Gladden Spit, to the south does the same thing in March April and May. Huge snapper spawning....dogs and cuberas I think....and that's why the whale sharks show up every year. They graze down the eggs as they spawn. I think they should open a season on whale sharks, to tell you the truth.... so we'd have more snappers....goddammmit....:laughing:


    Happy birthday youngster! :thumbsup2:


    Is there a peak season and way I could plan ahead to take my family to see the spawn AND swim with the Whale Sharks in clear water? We did the Whale Sharks in La Paz but would be even better in real clear water. I'm really tied up with work and planned family trips along with a solo backpacking trip to the wilderness (Montana) this year but maybe Belize next year for the spawn & Whale Sharks :). Any commercial operators operate out there to the spawn?


    Have a great birthday!


    Marine preserves are critical for the future if we want our kids to enjoy our sport in the years ahead. More the better as long as they leave areas to take fish. It's a win win situation. :thumbsup2:

    Edited once, last by Oscar ().

    Isla Marisol Resort and Dive Center | Belize Diving | PADI Dive Center on Glover's Reef Atoll


    This resort is owned by my dive buddy Doc's family. I've been there quite a few times and we did our PFI course there They go to Gladden and it shows the full moon dates for 2016.


    There are other operators out of Placencia also. Splash, Robert's Grove, and more. And Hamanasi out of Hopkins. It's about a two hour ride out from Placencia.


    Diving in Belize is a bit expensive though. Gas here is US$6 per gallon.


    But yeah, the peak season at Gladden for whale sharks is Mar thru June. Right after then full moons. The Elbow of Turneffe happens right fricken' now. Full moons of July Aug and Sspt. the fish can rest easy now....the two sneaky bastards from Mullins River won't be coming.....:laughing:


    And yeah, I'll be 60. Doc and DuQuesnay still call me "the boy".
    Yep, these were the days.....



    Edited once, last by hank ().

    A couple more. It was great while it lasted. There ain't many spots like this in the world:thumbsup2:


    The fish in the second picture are all nice. They look small compared to the 53 lb one though.



    Damn Hank - nice fish. I hate/envy your life style :D

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