The risks are known and nothing is being done to improve upon them for the future. When push comes to shove, the guides and tour operators will handle whatever situation is presented to them. The increase in popularity of the manta night dive and snorkel are putting more boats and people in the water each night. Risk increases significantly as the numbers of boats and people each night increases. Medium and low-level hazards included mild hypothermia, surfacing under a boat and contact with hazardous marine life. The highest likelihood of severe injury or deaths during the manta night dive were associated with live vessel/propeller strike to a snorkeler or diver, anchor strike to a diver, in-water medical emergencies, drowning, and high-speed boat-to-boat collisions. A third-party group assessed the hazards to health and human safety that surround the manta night dive. However, they both carry risks based on each participants health, medical history, and adherence to industry-wide safety procedures. This attracts mantas to the boat itself where the risk of running into propellers and boat ladders are high.ĭiving and snorkeling can be very safe activities. These injuries can also be caused by boats that use hull or ladder lighting. Most times, the elegant swimmers can dance through the lines, but many guides have noticed that in recent years the number of scrapes, small injuries, and large injuries to mantas has increased. While anchoring prevents propeller strikes, the number of boats at each dive site is creating a maze of lines in the water for mantas to dodge and weave around. This prevents companies from having to “live boat” (propellers running with the engine in gear), a huge issue for mantas and human safety. Throwing an anchor in the sand seems like the responsible thing to do. Currently, a large problem for the safety of mantas during the night dive is anchoring boats and hull lighting. Profit ends up being the ultimate driver for the continuation of the Manta night dive and snorkel in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The actions taken do not always match these intentions. “Manta ray conservation and safety is the ultimate goal for the manta night dive and snorkel,” or so the operators will say. The isolated nature of this population and its low population numbers could lead to a population decline if the industry is not careful with their practices. The population of about 280 named mantas in Kona, Hawaii is separate from other Hawaii manta populations. These locations are the only places where this unique event happens each night. This puts over 400 people in the water each night for the show at the two sites located outside the Kona Sheraton Hotel and at Makako Bay, located near the Kona Airport. Charters occurred once a week or so, but have grown quickly to over 20 boats each night at each of the two main dive sites. It started small with just a few boats in 1991. Soon the dive boats started to attend the show too. This attracted manta rays that feed on the accumulating plankton. The Sheraton Hotel in Kona, Hawaii used to shine lights into the water each night. The manta night dive started out of happenstance. However, the manta night dive was not formed out of a concern for over-harvesting of mantas within Hawaiian waters. This law ensured that the mantas would be protected within Hawaiian waters, a huge win for the manta population within Hawaii. A Hawaii state law was passed in 2009 that banned the harvest or take of mantas within Hawaiian waters. Much like the demand for shark fins, the gill rakers are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Mantas are hunted around the world for their gill rakers. The main argument is that the animal will bring in more money to the economy through ecotourism than they will bring in at the market dead. Will profit undermine the safety and sustainability of the manta night dive? A Spotted Eagle RayĮcotourism that centers around seeing and interacting with marine megafauna are often alternative incomes to reduce the dependency on unsustainable fishing. The cost to put on such a show? Safety for mantas and participants has been an increasing expense to the show. An audience of over 200 people each night enjoys this show. Divers watch the show from below while snorkelers watch from above. Hundreds of Hawaiian flagtail fish join in an effort to feed on the plankton that is accumulating from the lights. They gracefully backflip and swim through the stage. Manta rays with a wingspan of 13ft begin arriving. You descend to a sand patch surrounded by coral, the whole area lit up like a stage. It’s dark, you are gearing up for a once in a lifetime dive.
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