Dry Tortugas Natl Park

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deeper thoughts

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There is a proposal for a Management Agreement for the Dry Tortugas National Park, including a 46 square nautical miles of Research Natural Area to be fully-protected from fishing and all extractive uses. The other 54 miles are open to fishing and has been selected by fisherman as the most popular fishing spots in the area. This proposal must be approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which has historically voted against any effort to restrict fishing, even if those efforts would help revitalize fishing areas as spawning from protected waters spillover into fishable territory.

A jewel in the crown of the world's third-largest coral barrier reef, the Tortugas region of the Florida Keys encompasses a marvelous diversity of nearly pristine ocean habitats. The Tortugas has been called a "natural fish factory," and is one of the most important spawning areas for reef fish in the entire southeastern US, potentially helping replenish depleted fish populations throughout the Keys and beyond. This level of protection was determined to be necessary because of increased fishing pressure. Most of the targeted reef fish species in the Keys are over fished. In the 1930s the average size of black grouper caught in the Tortugas was 22 pounds, for example; now it’s a mere 9 pounds.

Fully protected marine reserves are one of the most powerful tools available for restoring and safeguarding the health of our reefs. By taking a precautionary approach, and protecting the entire range of species and habitats, the Research Natural Area will be one of the few ocean places where human impacts are minimized. If this initiative is approved, this will be the first RNA in Florida.

If anyone read Alex Brylske's article on Biscayne National Park in the June 2005 Dive Training issue, he sites the Dry Tortugas as a model conservation effort for other parks seeking to protect vital marine resources. BUT THE DRY TORTUGAS PLAN HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED.

Email for the FWC :Commissioners@MyFWC.com to voice your support of this plan
 
All that stuff they are pumping (raw) out of New Orleans will probably knock off the fish in the Gulf anyway.
 
lets hope not and still support the plan
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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