Capt. Rick’s chosen for world
fish-tag conservation project
By Staff
Some forty captains, crew and maintenance workers of Capt. Rick’s Sportsfishing gathered at the Pub Restaurant in Puerto Aventuras this week to be briefed on methodology of harmlessly tagging billfish and other species as part of a relatively new international catch-and-release research program that “builds a bridge between professional fishermen and science.”
The collected data from the tags is made available to scientists worldwide who monitor and map migration of transient fish species, growth rates, size and weight comparisons along with other data used by scientists to predict stock depletion, replenishment and stability with the long-range view to conservation of sport-fishing species, particularly billfish.
Crewmen of Capt. Rick’s 15 charter vessels home-ported in the Puerto Aventuras Marina join some 10,000 sportsfishing charter boat crews worldwide in this continuing effort and is the only company from the Yucatan Peninsula in the project, said Bill Dobbelaer, general manager of Gray Taxidermy in Florida whose non-profit division “Gray Fishtag Research” is administering the program with donations from fishermen and corporate entities worldwide.
Dobbelaer and assistant Ian Hall provided the crews with all the tags, applicators and preferred methodology needed to begin the program immediately. Pepe Viruega, manager of Capt. Rick’s, said the crews were versed on the preferred methods of harmlessly tagging the fish along the dorsal fin preferably without removing them from the water.
Dobbelaer urged the boat captains to involve charter clients in the process by having them fill out the tag form that is sent to project headquarters and entered into an interactive computer system for free use by scientists and interested parties worldwide.
All the equipment and ongoing assistance is provided by Gray Fishtag Research. “Our pledge is to offer all tags, applicators, data cards and ongoing support to the professional partners for free. This, we believe, is the key to accurate data and success of the program,” Dobbelaer said.
Glenna Uecker, Capt. Rick’s owner, said she was approached by Gray Fishtag Research and agreed to involve Capt. Rick’s in the project. “I think this is a useful and exciting project,” she said. Oddly enough, Capt. Rick’s, which supports and provides the boats for an annual Wounded Warrior project in May, is being sponsored this year by Gray Fishtag Research. For more information and making a donation to Gray Fishtag, visit www.grayfishtagresearch.org . For more information on Capt. Rick’s as the fishing season comes alive, click on the Capt. Rick’s logo in the sponsor column.
Pool problem? – WeRWater can handle it. Check the web site in left column.
Omni sale rumor denied,
caleta floats explained
By Staff
PA developer Arq. Roman Rivera Torres has quashed a rumor that the Omni Beach Club is for sale, an event that, if true, would trigger concern for agreements made with the Colonos to preserve a public access corridor to the Omni Beach. Another arrangement will eventually provide funding and completion of Omni Beach restoration once all permits and sufficient funding are realized. “The Omni Beach Club is not for sale,” Rivera said.
The developer did confirm another part of the same rumor that the Dreams Hotel may be changing owners, noting that while negotiations for purchase of Dreams are under way, “the deal is not closed yet and the topic is not yet public.”
On other fronts, Rivera reported that the dirt road leading to the caleta in Phase 4 has been closed and gated is in preparation for construction of a new private residence, underscoring that the road is private property. He said that access to the caleta, as noted in previous reports, is by two paths beginning at the Main Road palapas marking conservation property and the cenote. While a bit more inconvenient for bikers, the paths nonetheless give the general public access to the same caleta areas to which they are accustomed.
Rivera was asked why floats recently have been placed off the private beach of his family’s compound on the north side of the caleta. He said the float line is for the protection of swimmers and snorkelers from so-called wave runners. “It remains our intention to close caleta access to motorized boats and toys in the near future to also protect the very fragile natural system from the rapid increase of boats, catamarans and groups of people coming mostly from Akumal and Xpuha.” Caleta access from the sea will remain open to paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and non-motorized watercraft, he said. In earlier reports, Rivera noted that the safety line of demarcation blocking access of motorized watercraft in Fatima Bay for protection of swimmers and snorkelers stretches on the same plane to the caleta.
Reserve car storage space early at Riviera Maya Dry Marina and Storage in Paamul
Coming Events …
THIS SUNDAY ENJOY THE…
CENSUS TAKERS from the Institute of National Statistics and Geography (Inegi) are in Puerto Aventuras to March 27. Personnel in uniform and carrying identity papers will do the polling randomly. Anyone with doubts when contacted by a census taker can call local Security 984-873-5128 or Inegi directly 1-800-111-4634… COOKING CLASS - Latitude 20 cooking class is held at 10 a.m. Fridays. All are welcome to join in … SPANISH CLASSES at Latitude 20: Call Gloria Contreras at cel: 984-108-3517 for information… FREE LECTURE at 10 a.m. March 17 in the Colonos room. The topic: There Is No Cure For The Common Birthday, But There Is Youthful Aging – Join Professor Emeritus Jim White and learn how to immediately slow the aging process… BENITO JUAREZ birthday is March 21 but observed Monday, March 16, when the Colonos office will be closed…
Audio, TV Tech help available from Alan, Click logo for more info
ColoNotes…
Ambulance phone numbers listed
Dear Residents:
We now have three ambulances located close by that can be called in emergencies, the Red Cross ambulance across the street in the poblado expected to arrive this week, and two private ambulances, one parked at the Barceló and one at the Hard Rock. The Red Cross ambulance is without cost (although they would appreciate a donation, based on your ability to pay), and will take you to the hospital of your choice. The private ambulances will bill you for their services, and both will take you to Hospiten.
In order to request the service, you can call any of these four numbers:
Red Cross ambulance: 065; Puerto Aventuras Security: 873-51-28 and 51-73. Tell them what your emergency is, and whether you want the Red Cross ambulance or a private ambulance. If a private ambulance, they will send the one which is closest. Ambulance at the Barceló: 044-984-876-22-50; Ambulance at the Hard Rock: 044-998-214-41-32.
Durell Associates for legal counsel. See logo in sponsor column
PA delegation joins protest
against Akumal entrance fee
By Staff
People of the Puerto Aventuras Poblado are objecting to a proposed 300-peso fee to go to the beach at Akumal, according to resident Orlando Cox Tun, a leader of neighbors in the Solidaridad municipal delegation. He notes they have no “window to the sea” through the private, gated Puerto Aventuras resort community and have depended on Akumal’s free-access beach.
It is allegedly the intent of the Ecological Center Akumal (CEA) to charge for entrance in the face of increased use of the beach there by poblado residents from PA and Akumal who are fairly well deprived of beach access by the plethora of private all-inclusive hotels along the Riviera Maya. Akumal has been one of the few public access points along the area coastline.
Tun has also been in pursuit of beach access in Puerto Aventuras to no avail. While the CEA’s proposal for an Akumal admission charge is to ostensibly reduce crowding of the popular beach and the alleged damage to the reefs by overuse, Tun counters that it is affluent tourists who can afford boat rides to the reefs who are causing the damage, not the rank and file pobladans. Tun alleges that large hotels being built along the Akumal beach are complicit in CEA’s plans in order to reserve beach area for their guests.
PA’s People…
PA resident lends heart, hand
at improved municipal pound
Animal welfare at heart of new direction
By Staff
She was greeted by an ensemble of dissonant yelps and howls laced by the whine of puppies that sounded like the plaintive strains of violins. Rather than raise a baton, she lifted up her own voice with joyful greetings, affectionate words and a bag of cookies. “Well aren’t you a cutie” – she would say while distributing yummies as the chorus went wild with anticipation – a cacophony of tenors, altos, baritones, basses, yowlers, howlers, yelpers and simpering pups.
Diane Zanuzoski of Puerto Aventuras was back again last week alongside the cages of Solidaridad’s newly improved animal shelter in Playa del Carmen. She was there for another labor-of-love session, approaching each cage with soothing words while gingerly serving cookies to each of the 41 dogs, then cooing over the 16 cuddling puppies with as much individual attention as time would muster.
Not many people from Puerto Aventuras have been to what used to simply be “the dog pound.” That’s understandable. What gloomy events of euthanasia went on there was of no matter to most. But now, Ms. Zanuzoski, heartened by the municipal government, Veterinarian Leticia Mora Acevedo and others of good will toward defenseless animals, are out to change the “pound” image with a new effort and a new name – Centro de Bienestar Animal Municipal – or, Municipal Center for Animal Welfare.
The idea now is not to euthanize most stray, sick, hostile or abandoned dogs, but to save and prepare them for adoption or return to their owners. The goal is not to reprove dog owners who neglect their animals and ignore the few rules of dog behavior in public places, but to modify their manners toward more considerate and peaceful co-existence with close neighbors and the community at large.
To that end, PA Colonos GM Armando Rincon has signed on to this humane thrust by inviting CEBIAM to conduct patrols in the PA resort, collect, care for and return straying dogs to their owners, follow up on public complaints about nuisance dogs and help owners to better care for their animal(s) and observe local rules of comportment.
Ms. Zanuzoski is volunteering her time and emotion to help CEBIAM director Acevedo and the municipality to transform what was essentially death row for unfortunate animals – appropriately located behind the municipal jail in the ejido – to a clean canine clinic that cares.
“I started working for the municipality when the new administration of (Mayor) Mauricio Gongora heard I wanted to improve the dog pound,” Dra. Acevedo said. With 10 years’ experience as a vet, she and others laid out plans for CEBIAM and, after a “lot of time and meetings,” the municipality for its part budgeted funds for staff and two vehicles, various supplies and, most importantly, “changed the objective” to a compassionate treatment of animals.
Dra. Aceveda is no stranger to Puerto Aventuras. Among other duties, she has been vet in charge of the free pet clinic in the PA Poblado for two years, spaying and neutering dogs and cats, consulting with owners about animal health and preventive medicine. Before CEBIAM, there was no official place to complain about being bitten by a dog or much oversight of handling animals at the pound that often were jammed into cages with sick dogs and not always fed, cleaned or otherwise treated for lack of money, staff and will.
All that is changing, slowly perhaps, but changing. The cages – which now can hold a maximum of two animals only – are cleaner, the animals better fed, neutered or spayed and medically treated when needed. There are two somewhat odiferous alleys of cages. One, which is quarantined, accepts new animals to be assessed by the vet and prepped. Once that’s done, the dog is moved to the second alley which contains the animals ready to be either reclaimed by their owners or put up for adoption.
There is more to be done, says Ms. Zanuzoski, who sometimes has as many as five dogs at her expansive home. She has taken time from her business and social life to work on behalf of the animals. While at the pound last week in boiling heat and humidity, she saw one sick animal shorn of strength to move and baking in a sun-drenched cage by itself. “Somebody needs to pay attention to this dog now,” she advised the caretaker who was waiting for the vet to arrive. She asked the caretaker for gloves, water and cloth and entered the cage to clean the animal that could barely open its eyes.
“We’ve got to get him into the shade,” she told the caretaker, and helped move the dog to a larger pen in the cool shade. “This is one example of what we need here,” Ms. Zanuzoski said. “We need a retractable cover over the alley to provide shade.” But the budget is already strained in supporting the vehicles, six animal and property caretakers, eight inspectors covering all of Solidaridad, a computer operator and the director.
“That’s why we need donors and volunteers” says Ms. Zanuzoski, a self-confessed dog lover. She tells the story of one woman who has connected with friends in Canada who have adopted some of the fine-bred animals that pass through the CEBIAM clinic. A longtime resident of the Riviera Maya who started a real estate career in the early days of Cancun, Ms. Zanuzoski has been a Puerto Aventuras resident for six years. Her introduction to the pound came years ago when she visited there and began bringing dogs home then finding other good homes for them. The pound then was “heartbreaking,” she said.
“The municipality could use some financial support at the pound,” Zanuzoski inferred, to continue improvements. “Anyone from Puerto Aventuras who appreciates what CEBIAM is trying to accomplish and wants to help, can call me at cel. 984-169-8290 for more information.”
Meanwhile, local dog owners can refer to the Colonos website or Pelican archives for information on the CEBIAM program in Puerto Aventuras. The Colonos web site has a form to make complaints about nuisance dogs and a complaint can be made directly to CEBIAM at 877-3050 x 10079. To get to the CEBIAM pound from PA, turn left from Highway 307 at Avenida Benito Juarez in Playa del Carmen, drive a few kilometers to the white municipal jail on the left and turn left immediately after the jail onto the dirt road to the center located in back of the jail building.
Blood donors sought to aid
library volunteer’s husband
The husband of PA Library volunteer Linda Gosslin of Paamul is hospitalized with pneumonia and requires a blood transfusion to regain his health. Donna Carey forwarded information concerning the donor process. Please read if you can contribute:
“The place to donate is the IMSS General Hospital (Hospital General de Playa Del Carmen. It is at Avenida Constituyentes and Avenida 135 in the Ejido. The phone number is 2061690. The hours for donation are 6:30 AM Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday and festival days.
The requirements to be a donor: Between ages of 18 and 65. Weigh at least 110 lbs. In general good health. Present official identification with photograph (passport or residente temporal or permanente). Do not have a cough, cold, headache or stomachache. Do not have, and have not had, epilepsy, syphilis, hepatitis, malaria, cancer, AIDS or severe heart disease. Have not had alcoholic beverages or used tobacco in the last 48 hours.
Have not used any illicit drugs. Be prepared to identify any prescription drugs and food supplements you use. Have not had any type of surgery in the last six months. Have not had simple procedures or dental extractions in the last 3 months. Have not had a tattoo, perforation or acupuncture in the last year. Have not been vaccinated against hepatitis, HPV or rabies in the last year. Don’t donate if you or your partner have human papilloma virus HPV. Do not donate if you engage in risky sexual behavior.
You cannot donate if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Have not had dengue fever in the last 12 months. Have not eaten or drunk in at least the last 4 hours prior to donating. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to donate blood. Afterward you will be asked to rest for a few minutes and drink some juice. It is an imposing list of requirements, but we only need to find two people who can do it. IMPORTANT: If you are able to donate, you must tell the blood bank that this donation is for David Gosslin in Hospiten, Playa del Carmen with Dr. Hernandez.”
Expert: Capture of cartel
bosses won’t end violence
Two major Mexican drug lords were captured in the last two weeks, one of them the leader of the “Zetas,” a name often bandied about in connection with criminal activities and intramural power battles in this general region. While the arrests boost the government’s effort and image to reduce organized crime nationally, say observers, they do little to disrupt the continuation of the cartel businesses and battles.
That’s because capturing the leadership causes fragmentation in the cartels, which leads to more violence in battles for control. Another problem is that the government isn’t going after the money or investigating the complicity of municipalities and confiscating weapons, which are what drive the continuation of criminal enterprises, notes Jose Revelas, an expert on drug trafficking.
Zeta chieftan Oscar Omar Trevino was captured in Nuevo Leon a week after Servando “Tuta” Gomez, leader of the Knights Templar criminal organization, was arrested in Michoacan. One local newspaper that follows the area crime scene in particular claims there is ongoing infiltration by criminal elements in the area.
Briefly Noted…
Census takers from the Institute of National Statistics and Geography (Inegi) are in Puerto Aventuras until March 27. Personnel in uniform and carrying identity papers will do the polling randomly. Anyone with doubts when contacted by a census taker can call local Security 984-873-5128 or Inegi directly 1-800-111-4634… The Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya is in the running as a potential venue for the Economic Forum on Latin America to be held in May… Canada appoints new ambassador to Mexico. He is an entrepreneur named Pierre Alarie… The property tax discount in Solidaridad worked well this year with a 13 percent increase in collections, reports the municipality… The little airport landing strip in Playa del Carmen that is being shut down for a new airstrip in western Puerto Aventuras is scheduled to become a pedestrian walkway, according to city officials… A hotel association spokesman in Playa dell Carmen says the change in the time zone to conform to the U.S. standard time has been beneficial for the tourist industry… The alleged leader of a cartel in crime-ridden and touristy Acapulco was arrested this week in Merida on the Yucatan peninsula a long way from home…
The Mail Bag…
Alleged poacher sought
Dear Editor:
I have a condo in PA but am now back in Canada. When I was in my condo in January 2015 I noticed that my next door neighbor would take his snorkel and fins and go out into Fatima Bay every afternoon and return with some fish or a conch.
I didn’t realize at the time that he was poaching. I am kicking myself for being naive. I did see him meeting with a Mexican friend with a spear gun from time to time on the way to the Bay as well. My neighbor is an older man in his 70s. I hope that you can pass this info on to the the proper people to talk with this guy.
Signed/ Gene Sarmaga
(Ed. Note: The suspect’s identification has been omitted and was forwarded to the Colonos GM Armando Rincon who immediately replied: “To add to the story, I had a neighbor from Chac-hal-al reporting the same thing (Mr. Paul Shaffery) this week. Security chief Jesus Galdeano has already inquired and we need confirmation from anybody who can identify this person, but we are almost sure this person is a worker from a house on the beach and has a relative in the Poblado that has a seafood restaurant.)
Lazy croc spotted in Paamul
Dear Editor
I have seen a crocodile in a mangrove cenote in Paamul, apparently similar to the one the sign warns of in Puerto Aventuras.
It was like 1.20 meters long (four feet), quiet and did not move from its place. Locals told me it is very lazy and doesn’t move even when kids throw stones at it and is not aggressive to humans, probably because of its size. But knowing that, I will certainly not swim in the PA cenote.
Signed/ T. DeFauw
Nature Watch…
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Lent and warming weather
advise caution buying fish
With the advent of the average 40-day Lenten period before Easter, the federal commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) has begun 15 to 20 daily checks on some 64 registered fishmongers in the area to assure quality of the product as more fish is eaten during the seasonal Christian observance that includes fasting, hence the consumption of more fish.
The agency is also advising consumers that with increasingly warmer temperatures, many foodstuffs spoil faster if not properly kept and handled. It advises consumers to assure that fish is fresh at point of purchase and properly kept thereafter to remain edible.
Here are some signs that fish is fresh. It should have a mild scent and moist flesh, and appear freshly cut. Consumers are advised not to purchase fish that has a strong, fishy odor. Whole fish should have bright, bulging eyes and bright red or pink gills.
Frozen fish should meet the fresh-smell test and have taut packaging with no evidence of ice or blood. Fresh fish is best used on day of purchase or can be stored for up to two days in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Frozen fish, in its original wrapping and frozen at zero degrees or lower, will keep for up to 3 months. Fish dealers who sell old or tainted fish can be fined up to 1,000 minimum wages.
Snowbirds accustomed to whitefish up north such as cod and flounder that flake easily when grilled do not have that choice at the local Puerto Aventuras supermarket, which is limited in its offerings from the sea, even in the frozen section. There is more – but not extensive – choice in the Playa del Carmen markets. For people with patience, there is truly fresh fish coming into the Puerto Aventuras marina in recreational fishing boats daily. Find out where the boats are, what time they return from their trips … and wait while enjoying the sunshine and marina activity.
Reasons offered why toucans
flocking outside the city
In a a rare sight, Toucans have been flocking into the Playa del Carmen perimeters of late, an unusual event for a bird that is on the nation’s protected species list. Why they are suddenly appearing so close to a city is a matter of conjecture, but specialists here say it could have something to do with being disoriented by urban noise.
One of the birds was recently captured in a photo by Puerto Aventuran Armando Rincon, general manager of the Colonos, as it perched on a branch just outside a window of Rincon’s home. Other sightings, though infrequent, have been reported in PA.
Martin Porta, who does research at the Jaguar Conservation Network, offers some possible reasons that include disorientation by urban noise, nesting instinct in males in search of females who possibly escaped from captivity and possible loss of natural habitat to man’s progress. He fears that urbanization of the species could be harmful to the birds since they are colorful, relatively rare in urban settings and a prize to capture.