CCA FLORIDA ISSUES NEW COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN- ANGLER ACCESS
REMAINS A MAJOR ISSUE

In March 2009, the National Park Service (NPS) released four Revised Preliminary Alternatives for the Everglades National Park General Management Plan. The Revised Alternatives continue to range from modest changes to current management to draconian restrictions on boating access. The alternative which would prohibit traditional boating in more than 150 square miles of Florida Bay is still under consideration.

“We are urging the National Park Service to recognize that the vast majority of the anglers and boaters that use the Park respect it and responsibly operate their vessels. “The Park must also acknowledge that recreational fishing is a historic use which existed long before the Park was established,” said Michael Kennedy, Chairman of a special CCA Florida Everglades subcommittee. “The Park needs to remember that the General Management Plan which is ultimately adopted is intended to be a long term plan and any restrictions will have long term social and economic consequences; therefore, CCA believes that an incremental approach is a much better alternative.”

“No individual or organization holds the Everglades National Park and its unique environment in higher regard than CCA and its members,” said Ted Forsgren, CCA Florida Executive Director. “We are more than willing to support efforts to educate anglers and to properly mark access channels in areas where the Park has evidence of sea grass damage. However, we will continue to adamantly oppose the alternatives with huge zones that prohibit or exclude traditional access by motorized recreational fishing boats.”

After reviewing the four (4) Alternatives, CCA stated that it can only support Alternative 1 and those portions of the other Alternatives as described below.  CCA has urged the Park to use education, signage, cooperation and law enforcement as alternatives to exclusionary management when it establishes its long term management plan. To the extent that each of the 2009 Alternatives recommend better boater education, better channel marking and increased law enforcement; those concepts are strongly supported by CCA.

CCA noted that the boating public will respond positively to education and public awareness of environmental concerns and resource protection. This is particularly true of the boating public’s response to the concerns raised about manatee mortality. There is every reason to believe that the Park’s angling community will respond positively to the concerns about seagrass scarring. In addition to education, the proper marking of the channels is a necessary element of the public compliance. It is noted that many of the channels are not completely marked, poorly marked or have not had damaged markers replaced.  Lastly, the public’s awareness is further enhanced by increased law enforcement and related publicity. These elements should be implemented immediately and their effectiveness measured before any more restrictive measures are employed. It is for this reason incremental implementation of any such management has merit.

A summary of CCA Florida’s recommendation is as follows:
CCA strongly supports:

1. Establishment of a boater education program, specifically CCA recommends and supports the use of the Eco-Mariner program;
2. Better marking of channels and maintenance or replacement of those channels where markers have fallen into disrepair, have been destroyed or are mislocated;
3. Increased informational signage to protect grass beds in shallow waters;
4. Increased law enforcement presence; and
5. A strong public awareness program.
   
   

   To the extent that each of the 2009 Alternatives recommend these elements; those concepts are strongly supported by CCA. These measures are long overdue, were recommended in 2007 and should be implemented immediately! In considering the four 2009 Revised Preliminary Alternatives for Marine Waters as a whole, CCA-FL finds; Alternative #1 is acceptable, but should include the five items listed above; Alternative #2 is acceptable only if modified as indicated below; Alternative#3 is not acceptable due to the large pole & troll zones that lack reasonable access, but a limited pilot pole and troll zone for Garfield Bight and a portion of Snake Bight may be acceptable if incrementally applied, with established metrics for measurement of their effectiveness and with reductions in size and reasonable access corridors: Alternative #4 is not acceptable as its large pole & troll zones are de facto no motor zones and the idle zones and the no motor zones north of Flamingo to include the Alternative Wilderness Waterway and Hell’s Bay areas are not warranted. Detailed comments and recommendations are on CCA Florida’s website at http://www.ccaflorida.org/positions/enp.html

Anglers must maintain awareness of proposed management alternatives and be ready to act quickly to strongly express their concerns for angler access to the Park and to their Congressional representatives. “The Everglades National Park is one of the world’s premier saltwater fishing destinations,” said Forsgren. “Anglers will need to be vigilant and outspoken to insure that it remains that way.”

To view the Everglades National Park Alternatives in detail go to the National Park Service website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=374&projectId=11170&documentID=26021