⌛ Local Dive Regulations

I was talking to my neighbour last night, she told me about some of the weird rules and regulations on diving in the area.

Has anybody got a complete guide on what is allowed and what is not?

 

HI Dane,
you are right about some rules and regulations. I can give you some important points. A full list is not really existing and the rules are slightly different handled in each sanctuary.
1. you need sanctuary tickets for each dive-side. They have to be handed over to the Banday Dagat before entering the water. Thos tickets can be bought at the Majors office in Dauin. There are also different cathegories of Tickets. Now the prices:
Snorkeling : 50 Peso
Diving: 150 Peso
Diving w/still camera 200 Peso
Diving w/ video camera 250 Peso
nightdiving 300 Peso
Use of moring Bouy 50 Peso (for boats not registered in Dauin)
There is no nightdiving allowed in the sanctuary, but you still have to give tickets to the collectors.
No boat-traffic inside the sanctuaries. The diveguides need also tickets, even they pay a registration fee for Dauin seperately.
cheers

Rhoody

 

This is for the marked sanctuaries then, how about outside these sanctuaries? anything there?

 

HI Dane
it is actually in the whole dauin area. Even if you dive outside the marked areas. we have an artificial reef outside the sanctuary and they call it then 'puffer'zone. Also if you jump in the water in the middle of nowhere (between Dauin Sur and Masaplod Norte) a collector comes and want some tickets.
If you go nightdiving inside the sanctuary they will await you with the police when you come out of the water. Depending who it is, but a common thing is that they take away your gear untill things are saddled...

Yes diving is fun ...

cheers

Rhoody

 

That sounds nuts, our main site is right in front of the house, a huge rock... there are 3-4 fish traps being dumped on it daily, which is ok, but if youi swim around and look at it you have to pay?

We are south of Masaplod Norte though, so that might be different then?

It sounds like a lot of money for nothing...

Time to look for a new place to stay I guess.

 

Diving/swimming or whatever fees

For your information, no one has any right to collect any stupid sounding fees when you want to do something in any portion of municipal waters outside a designated marine sanctuary. It is illegal for any local government to also pass laws or ordinances that are contradictory to or not in line with national laws. Any area outside a marine sanctuary, for as long as no one has a lease hold agreement with the government for that particular portion, is for the general public and foreign visitors to enjoy in whatever legitimate manner he/she desires. But then, you have to be ready with your lawyer and match the guts and the fearsome stature of the Mayor. This is the Philippines, after all, and crazy things happen on a 24/7 basis.

 

Thanks for that important information Rhoody! I wouldn't have believed it either unless it came from a reliable source (you!). This is worthy to note since I have taken a group of kids to places and there was no sign at all and then upon leaving an UNDEVELOPED area which seemed available to the public then someone came out to collect money for tickets. The first time I thought it was a scam on foreigners since there was no sign posted but many places are like this. Many times the kids I was with didn't know since the locals were never charged to go there.

 

Cyndi,

there is some stuff behind the scenes going on at the moment but being involved in it I don't wanna make it public unless there are facts and news, but it will be for the advantage of all divers, dive-pros AND the environment. I may know more next week and will post it here.

cheers

Rhoody

 

Rhoody,

I am very interested in hearing more of what you have learned. It will help me and other foreigners to keep us out of trouble when we are there diving.

I am so ignorant of all of this. I lived there for so long and never even knew or heard any of this amoung the locals.

 

Cindy,

at the moment it is quite easy ... you enter the waters of Dauin/Apo, you pay... we work on a solution and will keep all informed...

cheers

Rhoody