Lobster miniseason is still on in the Florida Keys. But boat ramps will be limited
Lobster miniseason in the Florida Keys is still on for next week.
But Monroe County leaders Tuesday added some restrictions to boat ramps and vacation rentals in an effort to stave off the spread of the novel coronavirus.
On Tuesday, the Keys had 935 known cases, which is 1 percent of Monroe County’s population.
Although nothing like the numbers in neighboring counties that have become hot spots for the deadly virus, it’s still a dramatic jump from May 31.
That’s when there were highway checkpoints keeping out tourists from the Keys and the total was 108.
After an emergency meeting Tuesday, the Monroe County Commission decided not to ask the state to cancel miniseason.
Miniseason is the annual two-day event when recreational anglers may take the first crack at bagging spiny lobster before the regular eight-month season opens.
Even the commissioner who made the motion to send a letter to the state asking to scratch this year’s miniseason due to COVID-19 said it was too late to stop it. “Send the letter,” said Commissioner Sylvia Murphy, of Key Largo, whose motion was shot down by a 3-1 vote. “Get the ball rolling just in case we need it.”
County Mayor Heather Carruthers, of Key West, and Commissioners Michelle Coldiron, of Marathon, and Craig Cates, of Key West, voted against any attempt to cancel miniseason.
Commissioner David Rice, of Marathon, was absent for the vote due to a medical appointment.
Cates, who said his family spends a lot of time fishing, touted miniseason as one of the best events in the Keys.
“This is an important event for them, it goes on for generations,” Cates said. “There’s no other event as safe as this as we do in all of Monroe County.”
Miniseason is always the last Wednesday and Thursday of July, so it’s July 29 and 30 this year. Regular commercial lobster season starts Aug. 6.
Boat ramps will be limited for miniseason
Still, the Keys have some new rules attached to the start of lobster season. For starters, from Friday to Aug. 19, alcohol sales are banned between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Restaurants must also close between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The commission Tuesday added more restrictions to the Keys:
▪ Between July 24 and Aug. 9, only locals may use the boat ramps at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier and Sunset Point Park in Key Largo.
▪ Rowell’s Marina and the extension of Bay Drive will close, period. And the county will ask the state to close all fishing bridges at the same time.
▪ Islamorada has already announced it will close its parks and boat ramps from July 24 through Aug. 19. All of its public beaches, including the popular “Fills” from mile marker 77.5 to 78.8 will also close during that period.
Also Tuesday, the commission voted to limit how many people may stay in a vacation rental in the Keys.
For the first time, the commission added a maximum occupancy in the county’s plan submitted to the state as a condition of reopening vacation rentals. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had closed them earlier in the pandemic.
The limit in the Keys is now two people per bedroom, plus two more in the rental. So, a two-bedroom rental can hold up to six people. The new vacation rental rule will extend beyond miniseason, said County Attorney Bob Shillinger.
County revisits its mask law
The county slightly revised its mandatory mask ordinance, which was passed last week and requires everyone over age 6 have a mask when away from home and wear it whenever they cannot stay six feet away from others. With the change, anyone who gets busted for not wearing a mask in public may pay a $250 ticket without having to go to court.
Also, the commission removed the provision that required businesses to close for three days if an employee tests positive for COVID-19.
They removed the order “so that provision can be reworked,” said county spokeswoman Kristen Livengood.
Municipalities in the Keys can make their own mask laws, however.
The city of Key West has stricter rules, requiring people to wear masks indoors and outdoors, even if they could maintain social distancing of six feet from others.
The Key West City Commission met Tuesday evening to consider turning the emergency directive that orders mask wearing at all times outside of the home into an ordinance.
Both the county and the city have made violation of the mask rules punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Anyone who defies the mask order may also receive a civil citation or a code compliance violation.
Emergency meeting includes many opinions
More than 700 people were on the Zoom meeting on Tuesday, with others watching on local government television stations or the county’s livestream.
Opinions varied as both locals and tourists weighed in on whether to hold miniseason.
A man from Alabama called to say his party of six has already plunked down $6,000 for a three-bedroom rental in the Keys.
The county should consider setting up the checkpoints it had from March 26 to June 1 and reinstalling the airport screenings, said charter fishing captain Ted Lund.
.“If there’s a roadblock and we screen people coming in from the airport, they’re not going to come,” Lund said. “That’s effectively going to close miniseason. I don’t see where a few lobsters are worth the lives of locals.”
Some others, however, said restrictions are hurting business owners and workers who are already suffering through the pandemic.
Closing miniseason would punish businesses that are playing by the rules, said Deejay Halligan, whose family runs an ice cream shop.
Halligan called the county’s checkpoints unconstitutional.
“Stop thinking about the tourists, start thinking about our local families” Halligan said. “We are not Miami-Dade. Please stop governing like we are.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 5:14 PM.
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