Maybe the TDC should use footage of this in a new add. Come on a snorkel trip to Key West and lose your hand!

Get well soon Michelle . Everyone is praying for your full recovery and hope to see you out there cheering as soon as possible . Here's a Thousand hugs and kisses :-)

I have worked on the waters of KW for 14 years and am a former captain for one of the big cat company's. FURY crew routinely bait the yellowtail snapper; saying otherwise is a blatant lie. Marine Conservation groups have tried repeatedly to get these companies to cease this practice citing the information below....maybe now they will stop..... Indeed, it is against the law for ANYthing to be thrown overboard within the Sanctuary per Federal MARPOL regulations and Sanctuary Regulations (- 15 CFR 922.163(a)(4) Discharge or deposit of materials or other matter. (i) Discharging or depositing, from within the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter, except: (A) Fish, fish parts, chumming materials, or bait used or produced incidental to and while conducting a traditional fishing activity in the Sanctuary) Additionally, in 2001, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) unanimously voted to prohibit divers from feeding marine life in Florida. You might be wondering why the FWC believes these “interactive marine experiences” are harmful. After all, the fish get an easy meal, and divers get entertained, so what’s the problem? Overall, feeding marine fish is a bad idea for everyone, including divers, fish and the ecosystem. Contrary to popular belief, fish have memories and can learn. Through behavioral conditioning, fed animals learn to associate people with a meal. When this happens, fish anticipate the hand-feeding experience and depend on handouts from divers. Hand-feeding marine fish results in a variety of negative impacts. Most marine fish have around 10 essential amino acids required for growth and health maintenance. Fish cannot make these acids on their own, and they receive these building blocks from food. Fish generally consume a wide variety of prey in order to meet dietary requirements. To obtain the necessary nutrients, fish have complex feeding cycles. Seasonal, daily and other temporal feeding strategies make up a fish’s foraging behavior. Fish conditioned to take an easy meal from divers begin anticipating meals, which interrupts natural feeding cycles. A fish conditioned to feed on diver deliveries may actually stop normal foraging patterns and become malnourished, stressed and can even die. In addition to nutritional consequences, hand-fed fish are especially vulnerable to predators. In carnivorous fish, sensations associated with feeding can override other associations, including predator avoidance and protection. Competition for the handout interferes with natural instincts and behaviors, which are essential for survival and cohabitation with other species. Hand-feeding-induced attacks on humans do occur. Feeding wildlife can place people in harm’s way.

They do throw bagels into the water to attract fish. I did a Fury adventure in November 2009 and Capt Chuck was the one tossing in the food while we were anchored near the reef. Quite an impressive school of yellowtail was sustained, while a single barracuda swam amongst them, myself and the other snorkelers. Capt Chuck indicated he is one of the Fury owners.

These greedy head boats pour so many cruise ship passengers into the water it's a wonder more aren't eaten whole. Do they chum the water to attract fish for a show? Of course they do. Just as they take a boat full of passengers out to the sensitive reefs-- even if it's pouring down rain. Just another example of the greed that rules in this town.