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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Biscayne National Park - Update

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britinusa
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5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/22/2013 : 09:47:51

Good to see that the Boating Industry and Florida Politicians are on our side.

[url="http://www.boatingindustry.com/news/2013/11/19/national-park-service-offers-plan-to-keep-biscayne-national-park-open-to-boating-and-fishing/"]Link to Boating Industry Comment[/url]

Paul

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

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Voyager
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5378 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2013 : 22:44:56

So instead of protecting the wildlife from anglers and boat props cutting up the bottom vegetation and sensitive marine environment, the new regs allow both fishing and boating in the protection area.

Hmmmm.... says that the stalwarts of non-partisan politics are 100% behind the program.
Quote "The boating and fishing communities were joined last year by Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio who signed a joint letter..."
Good to see they are taking such good care of our environment.

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 11/24/2013 : 07:49:56

As this area is almost in our back yard, and our main sailing area, we pay a lot of attention to the proposed changes to the usage limitations.

1st. less than 1% of the users of the area are Sailboats. When we go out into Biscayne Bay (thats on the inside of the keys) We might see a half dozen sailboats over the weekend, but will see hundreds if not thousands of power boats (thousands during major holidays). So the regulations proposed evenly affect all of us, but have the greatest impact on Power boaters.

2. Look at [url="http://goo.gl/maps/NvIYr"]Maps.google.com[/url] and see the damage (this is inside the keys, less of this is obvious outside of the keys) that power boaters do when they plane over the shallow area. By introducing no-wake zones (there are plenty of water police agencies in and around the National Park) those same power boats will be burdened with the consequences if caught powering through those no-wake area. (But, true, they have to be caught!)

3. Some of the plans that are proposed include protection for the sea bed by reducing anchoring, adding moorings and marking off swim areas. One plan at least considers marking off the entire stretch from Sands Key to Billy's point on the inside as a no-wake zone.

4. Some of the plans even include areas that prohibit motoring!

Like all protective action, be it on the Roads, the Air, or on the water, they all have to be a compromise.

Sadly, the Sailboat community has comparatively little sway in the arguments, not surprising at 1 in 100 down here are power boats.

Obviously I'm on the side of conservation, I own a Sailboat!

Paul

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Voyager
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Response Posted - 11/24/2013 : 13:26:03

Paul -
I'm not a local like you to the area but when I've come to S Fla I like to kayak or rent a dinghy in Biscayne Bay or the Keys. I've seen plenty of prop tracks in the shallows, so this loosening of the regs esp in sensitive areas will certainly "improve" the situation. Too bad there's not any New England granite out your way. Hit bottom here at any more than idle speed and you won't have much of a prop or bottom unit left ...

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 11/24/2013 : 16:09:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 Paul -
I'm not a local like you to the area but when I've come to S Fla I like to kayak or rent a dinghy in Biscayne Bay or the Keys. I've seen plenty of prop tracks in the shallows, so this loosening of the regs esp in sensitive areas will certainly "improve" the situation. Too bad there's not any New England granite out your way. Hit bottom here at any more than idle speed and you won't have much of a prop or bottom unit left ...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Bruce, was that a typo?

paul

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