Coral Act’s purpose

Re the July 24 letter “Protect my Florida::” I don’t think the writer realized the real purpose of the this legislation. Under the guise of coral/coral reef/climate change research, Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carlos Curbelo are attempting to enact legislation eliminating a vital remedy needed to preserve resources in Biscayne National Park.

Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson are moving forward with a companion bill in the Senate. The contested remedy is establishment of a marine reserve zone, occupying just 6 percent of the existing habitat, where fishing is prohibited to allow re-population of a depleted habitat. All other recreational uses of the area are encouraged.

Establishment of this zone follows 15 years of research and a transparent public process by the National Park Service, which has embraced the best interest of this ecosystem for current and future visitors to this invaluable natural resource.

This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 9:41 PM with the headline "Coral Act’s purpose."