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Old 12-03-2013, 07:03 PM   #1
SpearMax
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Question What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I was made aware yesterday of the plans to eliminate spearfishing in the Biscayne National Park. I really don't know much about the Park and would like to know member opinion on this proposal.

Here is one article:
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/201...o-fishing-zone

Apparently, there are some public meetings coming up next week. Here is an email just put out by a pro-fishing group that is primarily hook and line oriented:


Public Meetings to Discuss Fishing Access at Biscayne National Park

Attend and find out more about the new proposed management plan

On December 9, 10, and 11, meetings will be held in South Florida to allow the public to review and comment on a new management plan for Biscayne National Park that will have significant implications for anglers. KeepAmericaFishing™ encourages you to attend one of these meetings, listed below, to find out more about the plan and provide comments to the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

December 9, 6-9 p.m. - Newman Alumni Center, University of Miami, 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146*

December 10, 6-9 p.m. - City Hall, Commission Chambers,*404 West Palm Drive, Florida City, FL 33034*

December*11, 6-9 p.m. - Holiday Inn Key Largo, 99701 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

BackgroundOn November 15, the National Park Service announced a supplemental General Management Plan (GMP) for Biscayne National Park that marks an important step towards appropriately balancing the need for public access while addressing resource concerns.The new preferred alternative plan, which can be found here:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document...cumentID=56275

eliminates a previously proposed 10,000 acre marine reserve which was a significant point of contention for the boating and fishing communities.

The new preferred plan instead proposes a 14,585 acre special recreation zone along a portion of the park’s reef tract in which fishing would be allowed year round with a special permit. Recreational fishing and boating is still permitted in nearly all of the remainder of the park under state and federal rules and regulations.

Previous proposals would also have established significant non-combustion engine zones along the coastline which would have unnecessarily restricted boating access. The new preferred plan removes those zones and instead, includes slow-speed and no-wake zones.Under the preferred alternative, anglers would need to hold a special activity permit, administered by the FWC, to fish in the special recreation zone.

Only 500 of these special activity permits would be issued annually, with 430 assigned to recreational anglers and 70 assigned to licensed guides. Additionally, the following activities would not be allowed within the special recreation zone: the harvest of grouper and lobster; spearfishing (unless targeting lionfish); commercial fishing (except for ballyhoo); and anchoring.

Suggested talking points to raise during the public meetings:

You support the elimination of the marine reserve. Other, less restrictive management approaches can conserve the park’s fisheries resources while still allowing for public access. This approach must be given a reasonable opportunity for success before leaping to a marine reserve, which is the most drastic approach possible.*

Additional mooring buoys must be installed in the special recreation zone as soon as possible to meet public demand and mitigate user conflicts.*

The special activity permit system for the special recreation zone must be administered fairly and in a manner that allows for reasonable recreational access.

Specifically, the park and FWC should consider:

Reexamining the total number of permits that will be issued. A total of 500 permits may be insufficient to meet demand.*

Allowing temporary permits for out-of-towners or others who may only visit the park a limited number of times during the year.*

Including a “use it or lose it” requirement for permit holders.

In addition to the public meetings, the National Park Service is accepting public comments on the supplemental GMP for Biscayne National Park through February 20, 2014.
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Last edited by SpearMax; 12-03-2013 at 07:21 PM.
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Old 12-03-2013, 07:19 PM   #2
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

By the way, the above are NOT our talking points. They are the Keep America Fishing organization's talking points. Let discuss what our spearing community's talking points should be in this thread.

Thanks, Tony
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Old 12-03-2013, 11:05 PM   #3
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Alternative #6 would eliminate most of the good lobstering and spearfishing locations in the park.

Do the people at Austin's know about these meetings?
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Old 12-04-2013, 04:32 PM   #4
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I don't know but it would be nice if you could give all the local dive shops and give them a shout and have them show up on Monday. I have been rallying the troops and trying to get all south florida spearos to show up. So far we got a nice squad attending including myself. I believe all the clubs need to get together and be there.....kinda like a show of force. "WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SIGN IN, WHEN WE ARRIVE AT THE MEETINGS!"

People in the Florida Keys need to show up in Key Largo on Wednesday and show force there.

They are really taking a huge chunk of property from us and lord knows what area they will be targeting next. Most likely the Keys.

Lets go folks, time to step up to the plate for what we do.
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Old 12-04-2013, 06:50 PM   #5
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

We need an artificial reef made of concrete and the people that come up with the restrictions and permit ideas!Since I was a kid Marine patrol and Park service would tell us it was illegal to spear in the park or it soon would be.I hope they get some toxic Tofu.I have dove the creeks by Elliot key and the patches for years.I usually just shot enough for a few dinners and then would go flyfish for Snook or Tarpon in the creeks.They seem to turn a blind eye to boats packed with idiots throwing plastic ice bags in the water and poaching inside the sanctuary or taking small undersize fish by the cooler and leaving their garbage at the bridges off Card Sound.
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Old 12-05-2013, 12:41 AM   #6
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

wtf
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Old 12-05-2013, 12:51 AM   #7
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Question Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ballenita View Post
I don't know but it would be nice if you could give all the local dive shops and give them a shout and have them show up on Monday. I have been rallying the troops and trying to get all south florida spearos to show up. So far we got a nice squad attending including myself. I believe all the clubs need to get together and be there.....kinda like a show of force. "WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SIGN IN, WHEN WE ARRIVE AT THE MEETINGS!"

People in the Florida Keys need to show up in Key Largo on Wednesday and show force there.

They are really taking a huge chunk of property from us and lord knows what area they will be targeting next. Most likely the Keys.

Lets go folks, time to step up to the plate for what we do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stillinscrubs View Post
Alternative #6 would eliminate most of the good lobstering and spearfishing locations in the park.

Do the people at Austin's know about these meetings?
I had a meeting and lunch with the CEO of Divers Direct on Tuesday of this week and can call him.

I am also friends with Dennis at Austin's, Skip at Force E and Ulises at Scubasworld. I will contact them too.

Henry, do you (scrubs or others) have names and numbers for other dive shops and such?

Thanks, Tony
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Last edited by SpearMax; 12-05-2013 at 01:06 AM.
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Old 12-05-2013, 03:28 PM   #8
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

It stinks but no suprise... but we will try to make it to the meeting at UM...
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Old 12-05-2013, 07:01 PM   #9
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I downloaded the whole doc and they forgot to highlight the proposed special zone. There is a marking in the chart key for it(option 6 chart, blue hash lines) but it dose not appear on the chart itself.

Does anyone know where this zone will be. I assume it would cover everything from Elliot key east which is crazy!!!!!
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Old 12-07-2013, 02:24 PM   #10
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I have been in contact with an FWC biologist on this matter who has been very helpful. I called him because we had met many months ago. Here is a link to the powerpoint presentation that was made to the commission at the November 21, 2013 Commission meeting:

http://myfwc.com/media/2684309/9ABNP...esentation.pdf.

This document is about both plans, so in the interest of time, the FWC person recommended looking at slides 14-23, as those are about the General Management Plan (GMP), which is what the public meetings next week are about. The slides summarize the history of how the zone came about, essentially as a compromise to an otherwise no fishing zone. The specifics of the plan are on slides 19 and 20.

But, please note this language about the process on slide 10:

Quote:
After more than ten years of collaborative work by the two agencies, the NPS is now ready to finalize the FMP. But before this can happen, BNP needs final confirmation that the Commission concurs with the management goals described in the preferred alternative. Therefore, NPS and staff will be asking the Commission to reaffirm its concurrence with the proposed management measures and confirm its intent to proceed with the regular Commission rulemaking process toward achieving the goals of the FMP.

Pending Commission reaffirmation of support for the plan, the NPS expects to finalize the FMP in 2014 and release a Record of Decision that formally adopts the goals and management philosophies detailed in Alternative 4. Once the Record of Decision has been released, FWC staff would begin developing draft rule proposals for public comment and Commission consideration.

All regulatory changes proposed in support of the FMP would be carried out through the Commission’s regular rulemaking process, and are expected to include public workshops and multiple hearings before the Commission. If the Commission provides its concurrence with the preferred alternative, it will be committing to work with BNP to achieve the objectives of the plan and to consider the proposed regulatory changes described in upcoming slides. The public would have the opportunity to comment on each regulatory change considered by the Commission, and the Commission will review and consider them individually before they are incorporated into FWC rule.
I have to say, I am quite appalled that this thing has progressed to this point without the Park and FWC services actively seeking direct input from the large scuba and freediving communities that practice the environmentally responsible fishing take method of spearfishing. By direct input, I don't mean emailed announcements of a general nature. I mean directly contacting people like spearfishing dive shops, Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA), etc. I hope FWC staff was not instructed to not do so by any commissioners or executives which is unlike what happened with the Gamefish/Sportfish issue and the Permit/Pompano issue before that when we were contacted directly to get involved and rightfully give our valuable input to the rule-making process.

I will hereafter urge Governor Scott and Florida CFO Jeff Atwater to mandate that FWC adopt a standing rule that they MUST contact certain people or organizations like DEMA that have vested interests in matters affecting their industry economically. This rule should apply to boating, diving, fishing organizations across the board whether they have paid professionals that show up at FWC meetings or not. In all fairness, the big boys with the staff to do so, should not have an informational advantage over other resource users.

I believe FWC and the Park Service already knew our community would have some serious complaints about limited spearfishing zones and restrictions like no scuba spearing or no trigger based gear. We just defeated this past summer a huge FWC proposal called Gamefish/Sportfish that was not based on science and was advocated by the Bonefish Trust and the FWC Chairman Wright (who is no longer there). I went directly to the Governor and Florida CFO about the economic impact on the diving industry and the DEMA Lobbyist went to individual commissioners to help get that thing defeated. Others in the spearfishing industry like Denny made great public comments at the crucial Orlando meeting which helped out tremendously to counter the public comment of the supporters of the proposal. Thanks for success were shared by many people.

I am working on getting DEMA's lead attorney/lobbyist and the major diving industry players involved STAT. Unfortunately, it is not going to happen in an organized fashion before the meetings starting Monday. So, I say to you who can make it there to any of these meetings, please express our community's opposition very strongly, but politely. Tell them how your families use these resources in responsible and ethical ways, how you teach your children your passion for diving and spearfishing, and above all how you want no discrimination against our gear type in any way.

I had a minor surgery yesterday and don't think I will not be able to make any of these meetings next week, but I will go to other public meetings coming up and work hard in direct feed back to the FWC commissioners through the DEMA lobbyist and to others at the Park Service in power.

If anyone can shoot high definition video at any of the public meetings, please do so and let me know what you get. It is the law that you must be allowed to do so, but please be respectful.

Good luck at the meetings, Tony
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Last edited by SpearMax; 12-08-2013 at 09:52 AM.
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Old 12-07-2013, 03:31 PM   #11
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

We are also trying to get the media to come and cover it. We erge everyone to bring video devices and get as much footage of these meetings as possible. Its the only way that we are going to be able to cut and slice them when they try to pull the stunt. It is a public meeting and the viedo taping is allowed. Take names and pictures of officials who may try to stop it if they do as well.
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Old 12-07-2013, 05:00 PM   #12
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Great work guys!

Anyone spreading the word on Facebook or instagram? If so please link effort here! So we can all pull the same direction. I know I could get a few extra eyes on it.


Howbout, places like Crook and crook, westmarine, basspro, and local gas stations? It surprises me that the above mentioned folks stand to lose huge amounts over this, yet seem clusses.
This all smacks of midnight dealing.

Lets get these cockroaches scurrying like they deserve.

Bring it.

See yall at the meeting!
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Old 12-07-2013, 05:02 PM   #13
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Its really shamefull how this is all going down.
Again the talking heads on NPR are selling it as a done deal, and the salvation of all marine creatures.
How bout common sense? Public input is nothing more than a formality.
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Old 12-09-2013, 09:57 AM   #14
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I have made the DEMA lobbyist and many shop owners and manufacturers aware of this matter. Skip from Force E backs us 100% based on my phone call with him this morning. Kevin Bruington of Ocean Rhino Spearguns also replied by email that he was not aware of this until last week when the alarm bells went off on Spearboard.

The first meeting is tonight here at this time and location:

December 9, 6-9 p.m. - Newman Alumni Center, University of Miami, 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Tony
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Old 12-09-2013, 10:21 PM   #15
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Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Thank you Tony for your support and being there tonight.
You came a long way to help us Miami Spearos and Spearas. ty
Tomorrow's meeting is in Florida City so we will do our best to rally
as many ppl to join us in the fight for our backyard rights...
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