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Resolution 269-1992 Commissioner London E n - (-, r' -, r' I' .--, r-. " F:L __ " ". ,- H' . i". '92 MAY 27 1\8 :19 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISS lONERS OF 'j.twNROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR AND CaBINET TO REJECT THE PROPOSED NEW RULE WHICH WOULD ~t')tIJHlfA~D I~TltEPL.~'PORT DIVER SEASON FOR LOBSTERS IN MONROE COUNTY AND TO INSTRUCT THE MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO READDRESS ABOLISHING OF THE TWO DAY SPORT DIVER SEASON IN MONROE COUNTY, RESOLUTION NO, 269-1992 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has provided that the Marine Fisheries Commission has rule-making power with respect to marine life; and WHEREAS, this rule-making power is subj ect to the final approval of the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the head of the Department of Natural Resources; and WHEREAS, Chapter 46-24 of the Florida Administrative Code provides for a sport season for recreational harvesters of spiny lobster, which season shall occur on the last full weekend prior to August 1st of each year; and WHEREAS, the said sport season has visited upon Monroe County devastation by way of inundation of the County with vehicles, illegal campers, boats and divers, which during the said 48 hours, have plundered the spiny lobster population, greatly damaging the underwater resources of the County, and decimating the population of the spiny lobster; and WHEREAS, the said "sports divers" have despoiled the County with trash and garbage and have overtaxed our law enforcement capabilities; and WHEREAS, the latest action of expanding the spiny lobster sport season by adding Wednesday and Thursday as a federal sport season is totally inconsistent with the Monroe County Commission's previous action in Resolution No. 160-1991, unanimously adopted on April 24, 1991, requesting that the so-called sport season be abolished altogether; and WHEREAS, these combined decisions have now expanded the sport diving season to five days to the detriment of Monroe County, its citizens and the spiny lobster; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, as follows: Section 1. The Board hereby respectfully appeals to the Governor and Cabinet to reject the proposed new rule which would expand the spiny lobster sport season by two days in Monroe County. Section 2. The Board hereby requests that the Governor and Cabinet instruct the Marine Fisheries Commission to re-address the issue of completely terminating the spiny lobster sport season in Monroe County. Section 3. The Clerk of the Board is hereby directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the Governor and each Cabinet member before the meeting of the Cabinet Aides on May 27, 1992. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 13th day of May, 1992. Mayor Harvey Yes Mayor Pro Tem London Yes Commissioner Cheal Yes Commissioner Jones Yes Commissioner Stormont Yes (SEAL) ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK BY~ ~(ffi1 epqLy C er BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By C;S'.;',.~;;...: .-;-~ _-.l'-. "'(- Mayor Chairman O~y~lY ~o~~~2,E (305) 294,4641 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAYOR, Wilhelmina Harvey, District 1 Mayor Pro Tem, Jack London, District 2 Douglas Jones, District 3 A. Earl Cheal, District 4 John Stormont, District 5 "!\ Honorable (Governor Chiles, Cabinet Member): The Monroe County Board of Commissioners unanimously appeals to you to reject the Marine Fisheries Com~ission recommendation that the Two Day Sport Diver Lobster Season be continued and moved to the last Wednesday and Thursday of July. Rather than reduce serious impacts currently experienced during the two day season here in Monroe County, the Marine Fisheries proposed rule would further exacerbate an already difficult situation by actually expanding the season, since it would immediately precede the federal season set for the last full weekend in July. In addition, if the State season begins before the Federal season, it will complicate the enforcement problem by making ~t necessary to determine where lobsters are taken from - State or Federal waters. Governor Chiles, please allow us to give you some backgro~nd as to how the Monroe County Commission reached its decision to vote unanimously in favor of abolishing the season entirely. During the past decade the near shore waters of Monroe County have been negatively impacted by elements over which we have little or no control. We are currently attempting to address some of these problems in the land use plan we are~writin9. Not the least of these is the two day "sport" lobster season, an annual calamity which the overwhelming majority of our residents have come to abhor as well as resent. A number of organizations and pUblications have taken strong positions supporting our stand on this issue. The Key West and Key Largo Chambers of Commerce have gone on record calling for the abolition of the mini season, and several newspapers have written editorials demanding an end to it. We have provided copies of these for your consideration. During the scoping hearings on the National Marine Sanctuary, Monroe County residents undoubtedly voiced their stzongest objections to the very existence of the two day "sport diving lobster season. " While this event is underway the Keys are inundated with vehicles, illegal campers, boats and divers who spend 48 hours plundering our precious marine resources. Its negative impact far exceeds that of the yearly Spring Break, yet another dreaded event our citizens must endure, since the damage divers do underwater is more serious than the inconvenience of noise and litter creat~d by college students. Based on the testimony at these hearings, as well as the views elicited from constituents, it is apparent that the environmental impacts of this event far outweigh its short term economic benefit, and most of our residents want an end to it. What was once a bit of a holiday for a few hundred people has turned into a nightmare, an all out invasion where literally thousands of divers and boats from allover the country descend on Monroe County. Responding to the public outcry, in April the Conunission unanimously passed Resolution no. 160-1991 requesting that the two day sport diving lobster season be abolished. The many letters and phone calls we have received since then in support of this position confirm our belief that the majority of Monroe County residents want an end to this carnage. It strikes us as the height of hypocrisy for the State to demand that we regulate our waters in the name of conservation, yet under the guise of a "sport diving lobster season" allow this environmental outrage to continue. Recreational divers are always welcome in the Keys, but these two days encourage a legal massacre, which is an environmental embarrassment that the State of Florida, as well as Monroe County, can do without. On behalf of the citizens of beleaguered Monroe county, we appeal to you to reject the recommendation of the Marine Fisheries Commission and put an end to this travesty. Respectfully submitted, .. ... ~ \.r.:) a "~.J "'N" . ____' ,. r Wiifie'imina Harvey, Mayor On behalf of all members of the Monroe county Board of County Conunissioners encls.