Petition to have Jim Abernathy's CG License revoked...Fred - Instructor / River boat pilotJune 6, 2008 at 17:00:08Here is a possible solution to the devastation and havoc wreaked on sharks and the environment by irresponsible dive boat operators.
How about starting a petition intended to gather a few thousand signatures; to be submitted to the the following: The US Coast Guard licensing authority, and all SCUBA cerfying agencies; and call upon them to revoke the CG licenses, and leadership level scuba certifications granted to (as well as uninspected vessel certifications for vessels owned by) Jim Abernathy, his company, and any other shark-feeding operations. A US Coast Guard Master license, as well as an
uninspected vessel certification is a priviledge granted by the US Coast Guard, and remains the property of the US Government (much like a passport); and such documention may be revoked by the US Government at any time. All US citizen tax-payers who are concerned about the environment, about protecting sensitive species in our coastal waters, have a right to voice their opinion and compel our public servants to protect the environment from abuse by the very few incompetent, uneducated,
and unscrupulous self-serving members of the recreational dive industry who should be restricted from such activities or be booted out of the business altogether. Business people who conduct themselves this way for profit and personal gain, and who demonstrate such poor stewardship of our sensitive planet's environment and resources should be restricted from engaging in these activities for commercial purposes. They are profiting financially from the abject
suffering they impose on marine animals for the sheer entertainment of a few equally uneducated and inept underwater tourists who are interested in nothing more than a cheap thrill and a few "ego-shot" photos of themselves alongside a tiger shark. Stop this ridiculous activity at once and let's get these pinhead rednecks off of our precious oceans and back to their trailer parks where they belong. | 
