From BHB Scuba FB page..
In response to some of the questions we’ve been seeing regarding the most recent issues with fish collection at the Blue Heron Bridge here is some information that has been shared with all of us by Dan Volker who has been a huge advocate of Blue Heron Bridge conservation.
For those wondering what the FWC has been doing to protect the BHB, Dan Volker has been working with some of the top people in the FWC for many months now, to make the BHB a no collection zone. So after this December, it is our hope the current law will be changed, and an incident such as the one with Moody Aquarium, would not be possible without major arrest warrants being issued. As to why this was allowed in the last week, the laws surrounding regulation of the marine life at the BHB have been preventing its protection, ever since any of us became proactive about this....for years, many believed there was nothing that could be done. The short version of a very long story, is that we succeeded in gaining the support of the commissioners of the FWC, as well as our own Palm Beach County Commissioners, and the foundation for changing the law was built. We also gained some very powerful FWC directors as advocates for the BHB.
When we heard about the collecting late last night, we knew this was something no one was expecting... Dan spoke with a top regional FWC director very early this morning, and he was shocked that this was going on..he immediately investigated, and found out the particulars. The permit was requested long ago, and it was a general permit…also it was never intended to be used like it was in this incident. Technically, the way the laws are written, this was a legal event that the FWC could not prevent. However, we quickly discovered the collectors were never supposed to be able to take all the fish they had a permit for, in one tiny place, and certainly not from the BHB.
The FWC is trying to cancel or radically amend the permit today, and the permit holder is furious with the collectors for the blatant misuse. They have been re-called to Texas. Immediately.
Now the FWC people that have partnered with us to change the law to make the BHB a no collection zone, will be using the imaging from this disgusting environmental looting of the BHB, to potentially get the laws fixed for us, even faster than the executive legal event that was for December. .
We may well get an executive order even before December, due to this tragic and disgusting collection event.
The FWC people are furious about this. They are 100% on our side, and whatever we do, we need to treat them as a key alliance. Thank you Dan and Sandra for all of your tireless efforts please keep us posted as to how we can support your efforts.
