Tony, you missed my point...I said that if NOAA establishes a preserve THEN
the prices would go up past what an average individual can afford and THUS
it would THEN be for the privileged few.  Free enterprise will come to an
end when the NOAA established consessionaires control the access to the
dive sites.  And hey if you want to pay more thats ok, go ahead ....the
majority, the rest of us do not...we do not want our diving or fishing
restricted.  You asked>>>  My point in stating that I use my own time and
resources to help the environment is to show that I am already paying a
high cost.  Recreational use, either diving or fishing, has LITTLE relative
impact on the environment.  NOAA needs to Clean up the other problems of
the raw sewage and pesticides and then watch the Keys rebound....but leave
divers and fishermen alone...and free from NOAA's overzealous laws.  And
guess what Tony, NOAA doesnt make the laws we the voters do...we will
decide how to spend our money and the governments money...or have you
forgotten that the government is there to serve the people.  Educate not
legislate..that is how the bottom will get cleaned up...you want to keep
the cans and bottles off the bottom... place a deposit on the cans and
bottles...we have done that here in Michigan and you cannot hardly find a
can or bottle anywhere.  Places have established a mooring buoy
system...Use NOAA's money there to establish more moored sites to eliminate
the damage done by anchoring into the coral.  Additionally, I do believe
that where the big ships have run aground through careless navigation the
shipping company need pay for the cost of cleanup... where there are no
mitigating circumstances of force of nature that caused the accident.  And
pardon the thought, if you will, that as you work for NOAA your arguements
here seems to be self serving.  And I think its great that you use your
personal time and money to help the environment.  The wilderness is there
for all to enjoy.  Tom        

----------
> From: Anthony Martinez <Anthony.Martinez@no*.go*>
> To: merciert@ti*.co*; freeattic@co*.ci*.uf*.ed*
> Cc: cavers@cavers.com
> Subject: Re[2]: Re[2]: Say "no" to NOAA??
> Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 4:07 PM
> 
> 
> Last time I checked, free enterprise was alive and well in the Keys.
Also, I was
> not asked to submit my past tax returns in order to verify income before
being
> allowed to enter. I agree with your suggestions to "cut the flow of crap
that is
> being pumped into the water...cut off the fertlizer and pesticide runoff
from
> the golf courses and the green lawns that everyone seems to
plant....process the
> runoff from the roads before it is allowed to flow into the Bay". But I
can also
> take you to hundreds of places where the bottom is littered with trash,
where
> the coral is covered with monofillament, where the turtle grass has been
dredged
> up by careless operators running aground. Much of that damage was and is
caused
> by recreational activities. Every wilderness area can sustain a limited
amount
> of commercial and recreational use before its quality and sustainability
are
> severely affected. The Keys passed that point a while ago. Now we must
put a
> halt to the insult and attempt to restore the area. If the sugar
companies have
> to pay billions, too bad for them. If, as a resident of Miami-Dade
county, I
> have to pay more taxes to treat our storm water runoff, too bad for me.
And if
> it winds up costing you more money the next time you go to the Keys,
guess what,
> too bad. The earth can only give so much before it is permanently
changed. I
> also use my own personal time and money to forward conservation. I also
do it
> for a living. What is your point in stating that you use your own time
and money
> to help with conservation efforts? Again, I'm not stating anything on
behalf of
> NOAA. How would you propose to manage commercial/recreational use of the
Keys?
> Or do you think that recreational activities have no impact? 
> 
> Tony
> 
> 
> 
> ____________________Reply Separator____________________
> Subject:    Re: Re[2]: Say "no" to NOAA??
> Author: merciert@ti*.co*
> Date:       2/19/99 11:04 AM
> 
> Mr. Martinez, I am absolutely in favor of preserving all underwater
> environments.  I am absolutely in favor of preserving free access for all
> divers and others who wish to enjoy those habitats.  I am opposed to any
> who seek to allow only their favored few, especially consessionaires, to
> control that access.  It eliminates free trade and thus begins to cost
> individual divers and others exorbant amounts of dollars to enjoy their
> environment.  The parks and open waters are not only for the rich....you
> have only to look to the National Parks to see how the consessionaires
have
> screwed up the park system.  It is all for the people not the privileged
> few.  Having had lived in Florida and dove, and fished, extensively in
the
> Keys...I have seen damage that has been done in the 28 years that I have
> been diving in the Keys....cut the flow of crap that is being pumped into
> the water...cut off the fertlizer and pesticide runoff from the golf
> courses and the green lawns that everyone seems to plant....process the
> runoff from the roads before it is allowed to flow into the Bay...and
leave
> the recreational divers and fishermen alone.  NOAA use your resources to
> deal with the real problems. I remain opposed to the establishment of a
> NOAA Sanctuary in the Keys. I am ,like yourself, a concerned citizen but
> not a paid NOAA employee...I pay the cost now...I use my own time and
> resources to preserve the underwater environment...how about you?
> 
> Captain Tom Mercier BSc
> Vice President of Michigans Thumb Area Bottomlands Preserve
> Board Member of Michigan Underwater Preserve Council
> 
> 
> ----------
> > From: Anthony Martinez <Anthony.Martinez@no*.go*>
> > To: merciert@ti*.co*; freeattic@co*.ci*.uf*.ed*
> > Subject: Re[2]: Say "no" to NOAA??
> > Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 8:52 AM
> >
> >
> > If you would have personally witnessed the massive decline in resource
> quality
> > in and around the Keys, you might not be so adamant in your objection
to
> > preserving one of this countries most amazing eco-systems. Even if it
> comes at a
> > cost. I say this as a concerned citizen and not an employee of NOAA. -
> Tony
> >
> > ____________________Reply Separator____________________
> > Subject:    Re: Say "no" to NOAA??
> > Author: merciert@ti*.co*
> > Date:       2/16/99 8:42 PM
> >
> > Apparently NOAA wants to make a preserve of a large portion of the
> >  keys.
> > Where this was done in other places and their Attempt in Michigans
> Thunder
> > Bay... NOAA grants consessions to business and kicks out anyone who is
> not
> > a consessionaire.  The costs to divers then just goes up and up as the
> > prices are then controlled by a very few businesses who have no
> competition
> > thanks to the US of A.
> >
> > Captain Tom Mercier
> >
> > ----------
> > From: Bill Lais <billlais@mp*.ne*>
> > To: Cost effective home improvement <freeattic@co*.ci*.uf*.ed*>
> > Subject: Say "no" to NOAA??
> > Date: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 2:12 AM
> >
> > As I was driving through Marathon Key Monday, I noticed a small
submarine
> > with "Just say no to NOAA" painted on the side of it in front of a dive
> > shop.  Anyone know why??
> >
> > -  Bill

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