Best place to see reefs and ricordia in Florida?

[KeeperOfFish]

I was just pondering the idea of a vacation, and like the title states, what's the best place to see reefs and ricordia in Florida?

[Ron Leversee]

I like the keys!!!!

[KeeperOfFish]

anywhere specific where i can see healthy rics and reefs?

[Ron Leversee]

Most of the shallow dives are where you will find what you are looking for.... here are a few...

MARATHON DIVE SITES
SOMBRERO REEF
Depth Range: 6-25 feet
Experience Level: Novice
Location: 24º37.50 81º06.50 Marked by Sombrero Light, this beautiful reef features well-defined spurs or fingers of reef building corals separated by wide channels of gleaming white sand. Brilliant colors and diverse marine life make this a most popular dive site along with a eight feet high natural coral bridge known as "The Arch".
*****
DELTA SHOALDepth Range: 6-25 feetExperience Level: NoviceLocation: 24º37.78 81º05.49
Another popular dive site eastward of Sombrero Light, features massive coral fingers and broad expanses of sandy bottom that separate the spurs that form this reef. Two interesting wrecks lie in this area - the Delta Shoals Barge behind the east end features typical shallow water soft corals and an abundance of fish life, perfect for snorkeling. The other is the Ivory Coast Wreck, a sunken slave ship lost in 1853, although little is recognizable any more.
*****
MARATHON'S MIDDLE REEFS
COFFINS PATCH
Depth Range: 10-25 feet
Experience Level: Novice Marathon has a wide variety of prime shallow dive locations throughout their middle reefs. Most are typically no deeper than 25 ft. and all feature an abundance of fish and a variety of coral growth.
*****

[roblack]

Definitely in the Keys. From Key Largo down through Big Pine Key there are many reefs. John Pennekamp State Park is a good place to start. Molasses Reef is very nice.

[roblack]

Call some of the Keys Dive shops and ask them. I see Rics here and there on dives, but not too many. have even seen them in Ft. Lauderdale.

[cplev]

How about in the Gulf? I'm thinking Tampa/St Pete area. Anyone know of sites/charters for this area?

[Zendiver]

For those wanting to collect there own rics in the keys they better think twice , If you are caught you will be arrested and you will face very stiff fines and more then likely jail time ,
Dont forget its the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary .
Federal park , ,,, all of the Keys .
For more info on how illegal coolecting your own rics you can call
NOAA law enforcemant and speek with K, Blackburn ,

[snookhunter]

Ricordia are considered soft corals and according to the FWC site, legal to collect up to 6 per day I think. All of the keys are not restricted. There are some areas that you can go to , but you'll need a good map to find out where. Or, just call fish and wildlife.

[icy1155]

Actually Ricordea and Zoanthids are hexacorals, not octocorals, so the limits on octocoral (the 6 per day) shouldnt apply to them... as to where you can collect I cant really help on that one though.

[thor32766]

The sanctuary doesnt cover the whole keys, but there are maps that will show you.

[Zendiver]

Like I said , its NOT LEGAL If you can be one of the few that have figured out the way to remove the ric from the bottom with out any tools ,
ie;hammer , chisel , knife , etc , you will be in violation of numerous 370,50 marine life rule ,
oh yea , dont damage it your it will more then likely die .

ALL OF THE KEYS ARE A SANCTUARY,
ALL OF THE KEYS ARE A SANCTUARY .

I have lived in the keys for 22 yrs , I know this first hand .
stick to looking at them not taking them ,
The fact is out of 147 licensed collectors there are only a few that even know where they exist in large numbers.
Leave it to the experts.

If you doubt what I am saying you can call Ken Blackburn with NOAA law enforcement , in Marathon Florida.

He can tell you of the Miami man that got 10 months in Eglin Federal prison for doing this exact thing ,
The man starts serving his sentence on NOV 4 07.

I hope this puts all the questions to rest ,
The keys people do not welcome out of town hobbyist's that want to do there own collecting ,
But you can if you like , the rec limits are very low .
So if you want to spend thousands of your dollars to come down to collect around 50 bucks worth of animals , come on down

[Engine 7]

Calm down and stop making yourself look foolish. Noone was talking about collecting until you chimed in. They were talking about a vacation.
Welcome to Reef Central, you are a natural

[snookhunter]

Calm down and stop making yourself look foolish........

My thoughts exactly!!!!!!!

[Speckled Grouper]

The title of this thread is "Best place to SEE reefs and ricordea in Florida?"
Nothing more, nothing less...
Please see my thread for this information.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1202237

[Zendiver]

Yes I see that the way it started , but when people start talking about bag limits etc , Its obvious that they are planning to collect them ,
As this thread has evolved so will the diver evolve from looking and then taking.
Unfortunatly education of the Keys has only lead to a more rapid degradation of the eco system , with the tourism development and all the on shore business's vying to make a profit in one of the most exspencive area' in the country , its the marine enviroment that is suffering at an alarming rate , lats talk more

[Engine 7]

Bag limits? Who? Where? Why do you think that there is some kind of conspiracy to collect? Let people have their discussion and stop acting like that.

[Zendiver]

does anybody even read the threads , .
I must be in the twilght zone I say black and everyone coments on white .
Read , Read , Read .
I enjoy the disscusion, But let's be enformative , I feel we all have to as diligent as a good reporter with our information ,
Buy the way are you going to the Backer show this weekend in Chicago , actually Rosemont

[Engine 7]

Originally posted by Zendiver
does anybody even read the threads , .
I must be in the twilght zone I say black and everyone coments on white .
Read , Read , Read .
I enjoy the disscusion, But let's be enformative , I feel we all have to as diligent as a good reporter with our information ,
Buy the way are you going to the Backer show this weekend in Chicago , actually Rosemont

Do YOU read the threads? if you did you would see that the discussion is about vacationing in the keys and seeing reefs and ricordia, not about collecting anything.
How can you enjoy the discussion when you have a grand total of 4 messages all in the same thread that you messed up by talking about collecting?
And by "enformative" you mean "informative" you are not being a good reporter with your information since you tried to hijack this thread with a change of subject.
I love diving in the keys as do others. Collecting is a different thing not related to this thread.

[Zendiver]

Narrow minded , sorry for the misssss spell , Ha Ha .
In between the fires you really need to read , the coments are on the discusion , the whole discusion , read the one's 10-4-07,
If you love the keys so much , I mean really love the keys ,
Well got to go put out my own fire's I will finish later

[Engine 7]

Well now 5 useless threads and now name calling. Thread is getting reported and hopefully closed down. You ruined this particular thread.

[Zendiver]

I hope I dont get spanked

[billsreef]

This thread is done for.

Zendiver,

You need to calm down with your posting style. BTW no one in this thread mentioned collecting other than you

[Anemone]

Zendiver,


To The Reef Central Troll Radar

Please do a better job of both reading threads before you post (so your posts are actually on topic) and moderating your posting style - or your style will be moderated for you.

Kevin
Anemone
RC Staff