Sasquatch
01-03-2008, 04:03 PM
I think we had a bit of discussion about this, but Monroe is considering changing mini-season... to benefit commercial lobstering? I'm against poachers, but something is wrong here.
I don't get how this is beneficial to anyone but commercial lobsterers. Set out traps earlier? Use baby lobster as bait?
San Diego, CA - (December 18, 2007) - At a recent Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Meeting in Key Largo, Florida, 11 year old Brianna Romanov joined a coalition of scuba divers in addressing the Spiny Lobster Advisory Board's recommendations for the two-day recreational sport diver spiny lobster season which, if enacted, would prove detrimental to the local Florida dive economy.
The 11 year old certified junior open-water diver, who has been diving with her father for two years, stood on a chair to reach the podium and microphone. The room was silent while she spoke. "All the commercial trappers said the number of lobsters is not like it was 20 years ago. But they don't really notice damage because they are busy doing their job. Recreational divers do it for fun and it's not fun seeing nothing. I'm hoping you will notice the difference hearing this from the next generation that's because that's where your future is gonna be."
The Spiny Lobster advisory board, made up largely of commercial trappers, commercial divers, wholesale dealers, and several recreational fishers, published a report suggesting changes to the 2-day recreational sport diver spiny lobster season in Monroe County. Some of the changes will have a detrimental effect on the annual business, which typically sees approximately 30,000 annual visitors and generates millions of dollars in business for local dive centers, marinas, restaurants, hotels and dive charters. Recommended changes included a special endorsement for divers to participate in the special two-day sport season, increasing fees on the recreational sector, and permitting the placement of commercial lobster traps earlier - the day the end of the 2-day sport diving spiny lobster season.
"Once we became aware of the recommended changes, we were opposed to them because of the economic harm they can cause to the local diving and hospitality community. In October 2007 DEMA reached out to area businesses via email explaining the proposed changes and their potential effect on the Florida dive business. At DEMA Show 2007 in Orlando, Florida, DEMA contacted Florida retail dive businesses, and briefed them on details of these recommended changes, asking them to attend the December 2007 meeting to speak in support of maintaining the two-day season in its current format. To encourage attendance at this important meeting, and with the organizational help of Skip Commagere, owner of Force-E Dive Centers, and Jeff Torode, President of South Florida Diving Headquarters,DEMA provided a bus from Flanigan's in Pompano Beach to transport over 20 members of the Florida diving community, and created 'Save the Baby Lobster' t-shirts for all who attended," stated Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.
The coalition, including Brianna Romanov and her father Jonathan, donned the "Save the Baby Lobster" t-shirts and presented their arguments to the FWCC. DEMA lobbyist, Bob Harris exclaimed, "Everyone came together and spoke with a uniform voice. On behalf of DEMA, and as lobbyist for the recreational diving industry, I spoke about how the Spiny Lobster Advisory Board's recommendations were flawed because they failed to address the issue with which the Advisory Board was charged- the long-term conservation of the lobster fishery, and instead focused on the recreational diver and the two-day season. All divers addressing the Commission told them the problem was with the commercial trappers, the damages traps do to the corals, and the mortality of baby lobsters, which, under current rules, are used to legally bait lobster traps."
After listening to recreational divers the Commission turned their attention to the practices of the commercial trappers and wholesalers, who were forced to defend their methods for the remainder of the four hour meeting. More discussion will take place on this issue in 2008. Interested parties should refer to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website for meeting dates in the new year (www.myfwc.com).
DEMA, the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and growth of the recreational scuba diving and snorkeling industry. With more than 1,600 members, this non-profit, global organization promotes scuba diving through many initiatives including the Be A Diver campaign (www.BeADiver.com), the Be A Diver scuba pool tour, media campaigns and sponsorship of the DEMA Show, a trade event open only to companies doing business in the scuba diving, action water sports and adventure/dive travel industries. The 32nd annual DEMA Show will take place October 22-25, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on DEMA Show 2008 visit www.demashow.com. For more information on DEMA, call 858-616-6408 or visit www.beadiver.org.
I don't get how this is beneficial to anyone but commercial lobsterers. Set out traps earlier? Use baby lobster as bait?
San Diego, CA - (December 18, 2007) - At a recent Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Meeting in Key Largo, Florida, 11 year old Brianna Romanov joined a coalition of scuba divers in addressing the Spiny Lobster Advisory Board's recommendations for the two-day recreational sport diver spiny lobster season which, if enacted, would prove detrimental to the local Florida dive economy.
The 11 year old certified junior open-water diver, who has been diving with her father for two years, stood on a chair to reach the podium and microphone. The room was silent while she spoke. "All the commercial trappers said the number of lobsters is not like it was 20 years ago. But they don't really notice damage because they are busy doing their job. Recreational divers do it for fun and it's not fun seeing nothing. I'm hoping you will notice the difference hearing this from the next generation that's because that's where your future is gonna be."
The Spiny Lobster advisory board, made up largely of commercial trappers, commercial divers, wholesale dealers, and several recreational fishers, published a report suggesting changes to the 2-day recreational sport diver spiny lobster season in Monroe County. Some of the changes will have a detrimental effect on the annual business, which typically sees approximately 30,000 annual visitors and generates millions of dollars in business for local dive centers, marinas, restaurants, hotels and dive charters. Recommended changes included a special endorsement for divers to participate in the special two-day sport season, increasing fees on the recreational sector, and permitting the placement of commercial lobster traps earlier - the day the end of the 2-day sport diving spiny lobster season.
"Once we became aware of the recommended changes, we were opposed to them because of the economic harm they can cause to the local diving and hospitality community. In October 2007 DEMA reached out to area businesses via email explaining the proposed changes and their potential effect on the Florida dive business. At DEMA Show 2007 in Orlando, Florida, DEMA contacted Florida retail dive businesses, and briefed them on details of these recommended changes, asking them to attend the December 2007 meeting to speak in support of maintaining the two-day season in its current format. To encourage attendance at this important meeting, and with the organizational help of Skip Commagere, owner of Force-E Dive Centers, and Jeff Torode, President of South Florida Diving Headquarters,DEMA provided a bus from Flanigan's in Pompano Beach to transport over 20 members of the Florida diving community, and created 'Save the Baby Lobster' t-shirts for all who attended," stated Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.
The coalition, including Brianna Romanov and her father Jonathan, donned the "Save the Baby Lobster" t-shirts and presented their arguments to the FWCC. DEMA lobbyist, Bob Harris exclaimed, "Everyone came together and spoke with a uniform voice. On behalf of DEMA, and as lobbyist for the recreational diving industry, I spoke about how the Spiny Lobster Advisory Board's recommendations were flawed because they failed to address the issue with which the Advisory Board was charged- the long-term conservation of the lobster fishery, and instead focused on the recreational diver and the two-day season. All divers addressing the Commission told them the problem was with the commercial trappers, the damages traps do to the corals, and the mortality of baby lobsters, which, under current rules, are used to legally bait lobster traps."
After listening to recreational divers the Commission turned their attention to the practices of the commercial trappers and wholesalers, who were forced to defend their methods for the remainder of the four hour meeting. More discussion will take place on this issue in 2008. Interested parties should refer to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website for meeting dates in the new year (www.myfwc.com).
DEMA, the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and growth of the recreational scuba diving and snorkeling industry. With more than 1,600 members, this non-profit, global organization promotes scuba diving through many initiatives including the Be A Diver campaign (www.BeADiver.com), the Be A Diver scuba pool tour, media campaigns and sponsorship of the DEMA Show, a trade event open only to companies doing business in the scuba diving, action water sports and adventure/dive travel industries. The 32nd annual DEMA Show will take place October 22-25, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on DEMA Show 2008 visit www.demashow.com. For more information on DEMA, call 858-616-6408 or visit www.beadiver.org.