Reefs and fisheries in the Keys need help, but state and feds are at odds over what to do
The head of the state agency in charge of wildlife management said in a statement Wednesday that his agency, not the federal government, should be the one to decide if more areas of the Florida Keys would be off limits to commercial and recreational fishing.
The statement, which was included in an opinion column sent to news organizations, comes as the public comment period is nearing its Jan. 31 end on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s “Restoration Blueprint.” The federal plan calls for a sweeping overhaul of fishing, diving, boating and cruise ship rules for the waters surrounding the island chain.
The Sanctuary, which falls under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, released the 586-page proposal in August with the stated aim of protecting the Keys’ ecosystem and protecting and rebuilding fish stocks as more people visit the archipelago every year.
When the new management plan goes into effect, it would be the first update to Sanctuary rules since Congress designated the Keys a federal sanctuary in 1990.
NOAA wants to expand the 3,800 square miles that now comprise the Sanctuary to include more of the Dry Tortugas, located west of Key West, which would grow the protected zone to 4,541 square miles.
NOAA also wants to make significantly more offshore areas no-fishing preserves and limit public access to popular boating, diving and snorkeling spots like the reefs of Carysfort, Sombrero and Sand Key. It also wants to limit access to beach islands only accessible by boat, like Marvin, Content and Snipe keys.
Robert Spottswood, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, wrote in the op ed that the Blueprint takes conservation efforts in the wrong direction and not much in the proposal would help the Keys ecosystem or fisheries.
“Tough conversations need to be had, and the process needs a reset,” Spottswood wrote.
He said factors like water quality, water flow from the Everglades and coral loss have more to due with the declining health of the Keys environment than fishing, boating and other commercial and recreational activities.
“Despite these issues, the Restoration Blueprint relies largely on changes to fisheries management and access,” Spottswood wrote. He added that those issues are the purview of the FWC, not NOAA.
“FWC is responsible for fisheries management in Florida state waters and partners with [the Sanctuary], and because of this, I feel strongly that FWC should take the lead on fisheries management issues in [the Sanctuary],” Spottswood said. “When it comes to restricting access due to fisheries issues, FWC should be the agency making those decisions.”
Beth Dieveney, policy adviser for the Sanctuary, did not respond directly to Spottswood’s comments, saying in an email Wednesday that he made similar statements during a public meeting held in Panama City last month. Dieveney said Spottswood’s concerns would be taken into consideration as the process moves along.
“Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary has been and will continue to collaborate with the state to find the best solutions to managing the important natural marine resources and address the many challenges to the Keys’ unique and sensitive environment,” she said.
NOAA has held several public meetings in the Keys since releasing the proposal over the summer. Reaction has been mixed from those who feel that more needs to be done to improve the Keys’ environment and ecosystem to those, especially in the commercial and charter fishing industry, who feel they are already overburdened with regulations that make it tough to make a living in their trade.
The final day to submit online comments on the proposal in the Federal Register is Jan. 31. Of the more than 450 people who’ve submitted comments so far, the majority are against most, if not all, of the proposals.
“I understand the concept and reasoning of the blueprint, but most of it seems too restrictive,” wrote Michael Pettee of Big Pine Key.
But some, like Michael Goldberg, who did not list where he is from, is in full agreement with NOAA’s plans, stating he has been diving in the Keys for 30 years and said, “our waters are in crisis.”
“If you think these actions put your way of life in peril, I am sorry,” Goldberg wrote. “However, the reality is, our way of life is already in peril.”
Gena Parsons, communications outreach manager for the Sanctuary, said even after the public comment period ends, the Blueprint is a long way from becoming finalized.
First, NOAA will formally propose a set of draft regulations. Then, it will write up a “refined proposal,” which will be followed by another public comment period, Parsons said.
“Subsequently, if NOAA moves forward with an action, a final environmental impact statement and final notice of rulemaking will be published in the Federal Register,” Parsons said. “That would be followed by an opportunity for review by the governor of Florida as well as Congress.”
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
