Regulatory Changes As Proposed By

Save The Manatee Club 10/02/01

THESE CHANGES ARE IN ADDITION TO ZONES

PROPOSED IN THE FWC & USFW SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS

 

In a memo obtained on Tuesday, 10/2/01, Save the Manatee urges people to turn out for the Charlotte County Commission meeting next Tuesday, the 9^th of October. Folks are urged to attend to help SMC "persuade" the Commissioners to adopt the following rules for Charlotte County:

1. Peace River ­ North of I-75 Bridge including Shell Creek ­ "Slow Speed"
2. Peace River ­ Between I-75 & U.S. 41 Bridge ­ 25 MPH channel, "Slow Speed outside of channel
3. U.S. 41 to the mouth of the River ­ º mile "Slow Speed" buffer zone, 25 MPH outside of buffer.
4. Turtle Bay ­ Southern Portion ­ "Motorboats Prohibited"
5. Turtle Bay ­ Southeast corner outside of shoal area ­ "Slow Speed" in channels
6. Turtle Bay ­ Western Shoreline ­ 300 foot "slow Speed" buffer
7. Turtle Bay ­ Eastern Shoreline ­ 500 foot "Slow Speed" buffer
8. Pirate Harbor ­ "Slow Speed" throughout

Again, these proposed regulations are to be implemented IN ADDITION to State

plans to regulate areas of Lemon Bay and the Peace River.

We ask that interested boaters, business owners, and property owners attend this meeting to ask that reason, and balance, be considered when drafting any new regulations. As well, attendance will help you see what will eventually happen in your county. The public has got to stand up to this flagrant abuse of the manatee species as it is being used as a "growth management" tool by the radical animal rights groups, and the so-called "environmental" coalition.

The meeting will be held in the Charlotte County Administration Center, 18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte, Florida ­ meeting begins at 10:00. Please attend if you can.

As we have seen in Brevard County, Save the Manatee Club will not stop until all motorboat traffic in Florida is either totally regulated, severely reduced, or eliminated altogether. With the ink on the Settlement agreement with the State of Florida barely dry, the club is aggressively going County by County to fill in the gaps left by settlement language.

If the above scenario doesn¹t convince you, please note the following areas also mentioned in this same memo:

1. Jacksonville ­ Reddie Point to Fuller Warren Bridge
2. Duval County ­ the St. John¹s River
3. Duval County ­ Goodby¹s Creek
4. Volusia County ­ Tomoka River
5. Brevard County ­ Banana River, Canaveral Sewer, Indian River, Railroad Bridge SE side of Causeway, Haulover Canal Observation area, Haulover Canal
6. Palm Beach ­ Riviera Beach FPL Plant, ICW
7. Manatee County ­ Braden River/manatee River
8. Lee County ­ Bokeelia Point, Charlotte Harbor, Southern portion of San Carlos Bay, Caloosahatchee River, Mullock Creek / Ten Mile Canal, Estero Bay
9. Collier County ­ Everglades National Park, Ten Thousand Islands, Fakaunion Canal, Chokoloskee Bay

The only way that we can defeat this two-decade long regulatory initiative is to

Stand up as a State-wide organization now ­ at this meeting in Charlotte County. Then, we will stand up at the next venue ­ possibly in Volusia, Lee, Hillsborough, or Collier County. We will then take our case to our Senators and Representatives, and ask for legislative relief from this abuse of the Endangered Species Act.

Please attend this meeting if you are able. If not, please watch for the next posted notice for a meeting in your area. We also ask that you contribute to the Standing Watch Legal Trust Fund, and help finance the defense of your rights as citizens, residents, tax-payers, and voters of the State of Florida.

Call toll-free (866)263-5015, or write to P.O Box 8357, Naples, Florida 34101-8357. You may e-mail us via standing-watch.org . Please support your fellow boaters.