Ban the Gillnets, Again!

It's almost certain that Florida's constitutional gillnet ban will live on.

Almost, that is.

But the historic reform of 1995 faces possible tinkering this year from a little-noticed Constitution Revision Commission that is reviewing the entire state constitution for possible changes. Scary.

The net ban was passed in the general election of 1994 by an overwhelming 72 per cent majority. It won big after decades of netting slaughters had depleted fish and other marine populations. For decades, all efforts to stop the overkill had failed on legislative and commission levels.



Totally fed up, anglers and other conservation forces launched a Ban the Nets campaign in 1992. It took many months to craft the amendment's exact language. Fortunately, the adopted provisions then survived one legal and political attack after another. The net ban coupled with other stricter limits did wonders for marine life.

Now, however, comes the revision wrinkle. An appointed body of 37 members was set up in the last revision to meet every 20 years to review the constitution for possible changes. We suggest you ring up Dr. Google and read about the revision commission. We must keep a wary eye on these folks, many of whom have known next to nothing about the long struggles that we endured to rid the waters of the destructive entangling gear.

The revision commission is mostly hearing about other issues such as abortion policy, but we can be sure that talk about changing the net ban is happening just out of earshot.

Every word and comma in the constitution can grow new meaning when the special interests start tinkering.

Last time around (nearly 20 years now) we convinced the commission, made up of different members, to keep the net ban amendment exactly as voters approved.

“Don't change nothing,” may be our cry.

At any rate, if indeed there are changes proposed by the revisioners, the document will be placed on the general election ballot for adoption or rejection in November of 2018.

All of us who treasure the hard-fought netting reform should urge the revision commission to keep the net ban just as it is. No tinkering necessary.

Contact the Revision Commission at admin@flcrc.gov or phone 850 717-9550, or go to the hearings coming up.

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine June 2017

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