Katherine Cordy wrote:
>
> WHERE?  WHERE?  Are the dive boats that let you collect?  We have been
> kicked off of every dive boat in Florida for collecting????
>
> Share with us??????

I do most of my diving with SplashDown in Boynton. Other operators that
I use include Starfish Enterprise out of Lantana and SeaHorse out of
Pompano. Loggerhead and Little Deeper (both Boynton) have no problem
with shelling, nor does Miss Conduct out of Lauderdale, though I rarely
dive with them.

Cattle boats and I don't generally get along, and the operators I know
usually want to know the diver before they will do special drops:
Splashdown has no problem dropping me solo in the "blue holes" (the pits
from beach-renourishment dredging) for example, but I doubt they'd do
the same for you until they get to know you.

That said, I think all operators have a bias against live collecting,
especially in quantity. As I said before, most of my take is fresh dead.

Splashdown: 561-736-0712  http://splashdowndivers.com/
Starfish Enterprise: 561-212-2954  www.idivestarfish.com
SeaHorse: 954-783-9300  www.diveseahorse.com

Mention my name, I can always use the brownie points.