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Home My WebLink AboutR-1997-017 i RESOLUTION NO. 17-97 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DANIA, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO REGULATE FISHING IN AND ABOUT THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS LOCATED IN COASTAL BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA, FLORIDA; WHEREAS, the artificial reefs located in Broward County's coastal j waters (hereinafter "the reef line") have been placed to benefit the fishery and enhance fishing at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of volunteer time; and WHEREAS, fishing pressure threatens to deplete stocks of the very gamefish these artificial reefs were designated and placed to protect and nurtures; and WHEREAS, regulation of the fishery is necessary for the preservation of the gamefish these artificial reefs were designed and placed to protect and nurture, it is RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of Dania: Section 1. That the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Dania, Florida, do hereby urge the following: 1. Designate the artificial reef line in coast Broward County waters as a recreational fishing area, except only licensed charter fishing boats engaged in sport fishing. .� 1 RESOLUTION NO. 17-97 III tow I a 2. Limit tackle to be used in fishing over the various artificial reefs making up the reef line to hand held fishing rods equipped with manual reels, barring the use of electric reels by other than handicapped anglers a requiring special tackle. I 3. Prohibit the use of so-called 'Bandit Rigs" and other similar fishing rigs. 4. Prohibit the use of bang sticks and similar devices by scuba and free divers at the various artificial reef sites. 5. Encourage all law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Marine patrol and local law enforcement agencies, patrolling the area of the reef line to enforce these regulations. Section 2: That this resolution shall be in force and take effect immediately upon its passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED on the 25 day of February, 1997. -COMMISSIONER ATTEST: � Z CITY CLERK 4AUDITOR I APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: CITY ATTORNEY 2 RESOLUTION NO. 17-97 J A Ir I POMPANO BEACH FISHING RODEO, INC$ P.O. Box 5584 Lighthouse Point, Florida 33074 1 954.942.4513 Fax 954.942.2974 January 22. 1997 Mayor William Hyde Citv of Dania 106 W. Dania Beach Blvd. Dania, FL 33004 Dear Mayor Hyde: The Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo has approached the State of Florida Marine Fisheries Commission with the idea of protecting the artificial reefs off the coast of Broward County from commercial fishing interests. At a meeting in Fort Lauderdale in December. the MFC requested that we seek endorsements from local governments regarding this issue before it makes a final ruling. In general, the Commissioners were in favor of our proposal suggesting that a boundary from Port Everglades to Hillsboro Inlet be set for enforcement. Testimony also indicated that there are very few commercial fishing interests actually in Broward County but that those pillaging our reefs came from Dade and Martin Counties. Enclosed is some background information for you in the form of letters written to the MFC by the Fishing Rodeo and International Game Fish Association. One letter is from Phil Maus, president of the Rodeo's Board of Directors, and the other is from the IGFA President Mike Leech outlining our request. I thought these letters might be helpful to you to explain our position and reasoning. We request that the City of Dania endorse this proposal before we ask for the same from the Broward County Commission. I will be happy to discuss any details with you and be present at the meeting when it is on your agenda. Thank you for your help. Sin r P triciaK. ��arr xecutive Director cc: Michael Smith, City Manager i Recreational anglers shortchanged on reefs Let's say you and your friends de- INNINNINNEWMINNNEF— cide to build a park in an empty lot STEVE WATERS in your neighborhood. You raise on the money through raffles, yard sales and donations from local businesses. With a lot of effort and care, you build a lovely park filled with flow- ers and fruit trees. All of a sudden,some enterprising individuals from a distant city show up. They cut the roses, lilies and tu- lips and they pick the oranges, L I grapefruits and mangos.Everything is shipped out of state and sold. notice the decrease in amberjack. How would you feel? As more and more commercial Probably a lot like Patti Carr and anglers showed up with their Phil Maus. Carr is the executive di- electric fishing reels, which easi- rector of the Pompano Beach Fish- ly winch up amberjack from the ing Rodeo and Maus is the president. bottom, catching a couple of am- Through their guidance, the Rodeo berjack became a challenge. has raised more than $300,000 to Concerned South Floridians ap- sink 24 artificial reefs off Pompano proached the MFC with the idea Beach since 1983. of creating special management Those reefs are scattered over a zones around artificial reefs in 1- by 3-mile site ranging in depth Broward. The zones would elinti- from 60 to 400 feet.Mostly old ships, note or at least significantly re- the reefs attract a variety of baitfish duce commercial fishing and garnefish.The reefs are popular prrs- sure by restricting all anglers to with recreational anglers and the recreational bag limit for divers, who spend millions to enjoy each species. their pastimes. As Mike Leech,president of the The problem is that the Rodeo's Pompano Beach-based Interna- reefs,as well as other artificial reefs tional Game Fish Association, off Broward County, also are popu- wrote to the MFC, "Does it make lar with commercial anglers, most sense to restrict a recreational of whom are based in Miami and angler to one amberjack while Fort Pierce. They primarily target the commercial vessel fishing spawning amberjack,which congre- next to him over an artificial reef gate around reefs in 150.300 feet in catches as much as his boat will spring. They also catch kingfish, hold?" grouper, snapper, cobia and The MFC could implement barracuda. such a plan because all the reefs Essentially they are making a liv- are in state waters. For now, the ing off artificial reefs that were cre- MFC will continue studying the ated by the efforts of recreational idea. Carr said maybe something anglers.In the process,by killing ev- could be on the books by 1998. erything they catch, they have di- "It's not that we begrudge com- minished the quality of fishing and mercial fishermen their living, fish-watching for local anglers and but that wasn't in the game plan," divers.That's not right,according to said Carr, who recalled a fishing Carr and Maus. trip shortly after the first Rodeo In recent,years commercial fish- reef was created. "I went out on ing boats, excluding local charter the Arbitrator and everybody boats, have depleted the amberjack caught and released an amber- fishery to the point that a once pro- jack, and every amberjack was lific amount of amberjack has been bigger than the next. I was the reduced to a scant shadow of its for- last to catch one, and mine mer self,"Maus wrote in a letter to weighed 95 pounds.I was sore for the Marine Fisheries Commission, a week, but everybody was cheer- which listened to similar testimony ing me on to get it in. It was real- at its public meeting in Fort Lauder- ly exciting. dale last week. "Those were the times. I think Local charter captains such as those limes are long gone." Leo De Maltia, who skippers Arbi- trator out of the Hillsboro Inlet Steve IVaters'outdoorscolumn Marina, were among the first to appears Sundays. w l �I I I it I it i I 1