Lil' CRB seagrass protection update

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:02 am

The Pole & Troll advisory group has been meeting for two years and came up with several recommendations. Those recs were sent to agencies with authority over seagrass, manatee protection, etc. What a mess...

Letter to U.S. Fish & Wildlife and others

Response from FWC

Response from Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves

Response from U.S. Fish & Wildlife

Todd · Post by **Todd** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:12 am

It sure is a mess. Funny how all the letters switch from seagrass protection to manatee protection. Nothing will ever come of this as they all want to sit on their hands and do nothing in the name of manatee protection. It is easier for the govt agencies to do nothing than take any type of stand.

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:34 am

Without seeing the proposals they're referring to, the attached letters make no sense to me. Not that that matters, but it would be good to see exactly what options are being brought up.

BlueCrab · Post by **BlueCrab** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:42 am

I don't see this as a "mess". It is clearly a unanimous rejection by all concerned.

Why would the regulators give up the coup that was the manatee zones? Granted, junk science and public fear and superstition created the zones, but it was handed to them on a silver platter and they jumped on it because it does provide the best legal protection of the esturary.

You will never be able put that toothpaste back in the tube, especially with "high speed corridors" in the proposal.

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:44 am

I had the various plans, but can't put my fingers on them right now. Maybe Heywood has them.

I figured that the manatees and seagrass would win out so I quite going to the meetings. Actually, the manatees and seagrass should win, IMHO.

BlueCrab · Post by **BlueCrab** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:48 am

The way I read it, the area currently falls under the "manatee zones" and the proposals are less restrictive than the current "status quo" (as the FWC put it in their response).

So seagrass and manatees are currently "winning" in the area and they feel "high speed corridors" would jeopardize this.

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:35 am

BlueCrab wrote:The way I read it, the area currently falls under the "manatee zones" and the proposals are less restrictive than the current "status quo" (as the FWC put it in their response).

So seagrass and manatees are currently "winning" in the area and they feel "high speed corridors" would jeopardize this.

Correct. But the advisory group/task force determined to effect change and move forward on any of the five options. (I'm trying to get copies to post here.) The group hopes to get a "groundswell of local and make the argument that, even though the area has an existing manatee protection zone, no one is complying with it. That means that, in reality, the manatees are no safer and perhaps would be better protected if one of the options were implemented." They feel that if they can convince the County Commission, then the "state and feds might be more sympathetic and may better understand the motivation for creating pole and troll with access lanes of some sort."

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:43 am

Seems to me it's these "access lanes" that are the crux of their rejections. Are they even necessary? Much less, do they have to be "high speed"?

In other words, is there a happy medium that can suit all parties? Or are they just set on rejecting any alternatives and not changing anything?

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:51 pm

teamshaft3 wrote:Seems to me it's these "access lanes" that are the crux of their rejections. Are they even necessary? Much less, do they have to be "high speed"?

In other words, is there a happy medium that can suit all parties? Or are they just set on rejecting any alternatives and not changing anything?

I'll have to PM Heywood to make sure he chimes in on this thread since he was on the committee with me in the beginning.

The group is full of non-kayak fishing guides. They want fast access.

Heywood · Post by **Heywood** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:54 pm

This whole thing has been a crock shiz. Anybody with any sense can look at the photographs and see something needs to be done and done now.

But when you get the head of the Florida Guides Ass. as a member, crying about how this will kill their buisness and they want head speed corridors, blah,blah,blah

Everybody has their own agenda, yet no one can decide what needs to be done. Its all been one huge waste of time. Want to get someone killed in a kayak? Put in high speed corridors.

Nothing will ever get done down there.

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:41 pm

Heywood wrote:This whole thing has been a crock shiz. Anybody with any sense can look at the photographs and see something needs to be done and done now.

But when you get the head of the Florida Guides Ass. as a member, crying about how this will kill their buisness and they want head speed corridors, blah,blah,blah

Everybody has their own agenda, yet no one can decide what needs to be done. Its all been one huge waste of time. Want to get someone killed in a kayak? Put in high speed corridors.

Nothing will ever get done down there.

I started to write a letter of resignation due to the heavy control by the guides, but I stayed on just to keep getting their info. Since the leadership is planning on getting appointments with Hillsborough County Commissioners, I'd think it would be a good thing for county residents to at least write their commissioners.

Rik · Post by **Rik** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:09 pm

Good thing they are concerned about all those manatees up in Little Cockroach Bay......

Never ceases to amaze me that they make manatee zones where the water is only a foot or two deep.

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:33 pm

Anyone know about a meeting in Ruskin tonight regarding this issue?

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:39 pm

teamshaft3 wrote:Anyone know about a meeting in Ruskin tonight regarding this issue?

The advisory group/task force had a meeting the other night and voted to keep moving ahead to try to get one of their plans.

Call Tom Ash, who works with the Hilllsb. EPC and coordinates the task force to see if there is another meeting.
(Chairman of the task force is Danny Guarino.)

Thomas M. Ash

General Manager, Environmental Restoration

Environmental Resources Management Division

Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County

3629 Queen Palm Dr.

Tampa, FL 33619

813-627-2600 Ext. 1011

[email protected]

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:58 pm

Would they seriously consider closing the entire CRB or L. CRB access to all boats, (kayaks included) because of this crabber guy?

What's the details about this if it isn't totally off base?

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:54 pm

teamshaft3 wrote:Would they seriously consider closing the entire CRB or L. CRB access to all boats, (kayaks included) because of this crabber guy?

What's the details about this if it isn't totally off base?

I don't think they'd close it all off. But, truly, if motor boaters don't stop doing such serious damage to the sea grass beds in the state, I'd expect to see more areas become Pole and Troll or no motor access.