Voicing their concerns about the federal implementation of no-fishing zones, the board of directors of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association (FOWA) voted to publicly state their opposition to Marine Protected Areas.

“The constant pressure for more and more of these zones has in essence taken on the color of a federal takeover attempt of our state and public waters,” said Dave Burkhardt, FOWA president. “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does many good things for resources in general, but we don’t need another layer of authority when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is already doing a good job.”

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