Keep Saying No to Marine Zoos
Public hearings for South Atlantic MPAs scheduled from Keys through Carolinas.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) appears to be trying to sneak one by us again. Seems the no-fishing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) idea just won’t die—even though a number of top researchers have professed that MPAs do nothing to really advance fish stocks. That is, with one exception--establishing a boundary or boundaries that commercial bottom fishers will work nonstop.

SAFMC will hold nine “informational” public hearings starting January 19 “to collect input from area fishermen (this includes recreational, family-level anglers) that may be impacted by the designation of MPAs in federal waters.”

Rules being considered for these deepwater MPAs include no bottom fishing for several species—snowy grouper, speckled hind and golden tilefish. At this time, surface trolling for pelagic gamefish such as dolphin, tuna and sailfish will still be allowed. Hearing details are listed below:

Marine Protected Area Informational Public Hearings (All Meetings Begin at 6:00 pm)

Monday, January 19, 2004, Sea Turtle Inn, One Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233, Phone: (904) 249-7402

Tuesday, January 20, 2004, Ramada Inn, 1200 S. Federal Highway, Stuart, FL 34994, Phone: 772-287-6900

Thursday, January 22, 2004, The Islander, 82100 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036, Phone: 305-664-2031

Tuesday, January 27, 2004, Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557, Phone: 252-247-3883

Wednesday, January 28, 2004, Blockade Runner, 275 Waynick Boulevard, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480, 800-541-1161 or 910-256-2251

Tuesday, February 10, 2004, University of Georgia Marine Extension, 715 Bay Street, Brunswick, GA 31520, Phone: 912-264-7268

Wednesday, February 11, 2004, Richmond Hill City Hall, 40 Richard R. Davis Drive, Richmond Hill, GA 31324, Phone: 912-756-3345

Tuesday, February 17, 2004, Holiday Inn, 722 Highway 17, Little River, SC 29566, Phone: 843-281-9400

Thursday, February 19, 2004, Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407, Phone: 800-334-6660 or 843-571-1000

Powerful Sportfishing Advocate Dropped from FWC Board
Gov. Bush appoints former aide to replace Dr. Edwin Roberts.

One of the strongest supporters ever for fisheries conservation has been dropped from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, replaced by Gov. Jeb Bush with the appointment of a former aide to the constitutionally based commission that manages all of the state's inland and coastal wildlife.

Dr. Edwin Roberts' failure to win reappointment thus ends a 5-year term, including a stint as chairman, during which he championed many policy decisions for maintaining a high abundance of wildlife while retaining maximum use by the general public rather than special commercial interests.

"Dr. Roberts' excellent service will be long remembered for dedication and sound decisions," said Florida Sportsman Founder Karl Wickstrom. "He'll be badly missed and leaves a record we hope will be emulated by his successor."

That successor is Brian Yablonski, 36, a law graduate and lobbyist who was Gov. Bush's deputy chief of staff for four years. The new commissioner lives in Tallahassee and reports enjoying hiking, kayaking and fishing.

His appointment continues the governor's commitment to avoid choosing any persons with financial conflicts of interest regarding wildlife management.

Black Bears Not Worthy of “Threatened” Status
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should apply same criteria to manatees.

Some observers are wondering why a decision by the USFWS regarding black bears doesn't apply to manatees. Shouldn’t the “endangered” criteria for both species be similar? We cut the following excerpts from a recent USFWS press release:

USFWS release dated 1/14/04: The Endangered Species Act (ESA) defines “threatened species” as any species likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

“As directed by the court, a new examination of the regulatory mechanisms has shown that Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies… continue to be adequate to prevent levels of death, habitat loss and habitat degradation that could threaten the species (black bears) with extinction,” USFWS Southeast Regional Director Sam D. Hamilton said.

Although citizens filed a petition to have black bears listed as threatened, the USFWS decided that “listing the Florida black bear was not warranted because healthy bear populations, ranging between an estimated 1,600 to 3,000 individuals, occur in four secure habitats: Apalachicola National Forest and adjacent lands, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Osceola National Forest and adjacent lands, Ocala National Forest and adjacent lands, and Big Cypress National Preserve and adjacent lands.”

This black bear decision seems to in direct conflict with recent USFWS regulations regarding manatees. Manatee populations are blossoming throughout Florida, living testimony that state safeguards protected manatees without federal intervention.

Abandoned Gill Net Continues Killing
Net draped on Southeast Florida reef is so large, combined effort needed to remove it.

Volunteer divers, marine deputies and the Coast Guard are working together to remove--the second attempt--an abandoned drift gill net found last week clinging to the Six Mile Reef off Stuart’s St. Lucie Inlet. An earlier Coast Guard attempt failed when the huge net—estimated at 600 yards long—broke from the headline and fell back on the reef.

Unfortunately, the net didn’t stop killing when it was abandoned.

“It’s very much a working net,” said Coast Guard Officer Patrick Thibodeux, who initially tried to remove the net. “You could definitely tell there were other animals attached to the net itself—coastal sharks, larger sharks and at least one turtle.”

Because the net is so large, the vessel that deployed it technically was required to have an observer aboard (and theoretically must have been fishing outside waters). However, marine agencies are not aware of any observer reports of lost nets, leading to speculation that it was being used illegally.

Orange Alert Cancels Manatee Count
Security concerns likely to delay count until next cold front.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) officials will wait for the next cold snap for another shot at the annual statewide aerial manatee count. The Department of Homeland Security’s late-December terrorism alert forced the cancellation of flights over state power plants, where the animals gather during cold weather.

“Roughly half the animals we count are around power plants,” said Henry Cabbage, spokesman for the FWC. The plants’ warmwater discharges attract the animals during the winter months, concentrating them for easy counting. If the recently lowered terrorism threat level continues, the observation flights should be possible during the next prolonged period of cold weather.