September 25, 2013
On October 1, 2013, the voters of Key West will enter the polls to vote on a referendum that will decide whether to move forward with a program toward deepening and widening the Key West Harbor ship channel to allow larger cruise ships. As a non-profit, science-based, conservation organization dedicated to ensuring a healthy flats fishery now and into the future, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust strongly urges Key West voters to vote “No” on the question of whether to go forward with the study.
The proposed feasibility study should not be conducted because it would open the door to dredging the channel. Ship channel deepening and widening would have a significant negative impact on economically important fisheries in Key West and the Lower Keys, with implications throughout the Florida Keys and South Florida.
The Florida Keys are the birthplace of “flats fishing” for bonefish, tarpon, and permit, and Key West remains one of the top fishing destinations for anglers around the world. A recent study showed that the annual economic impact of the Florida Keys flats fishery exceeds $465 million, with tax revenues of $62 million. When all recreational fisheries in the Keys are included the economic impact exceeds $810 million annually, generating more than $109 million in tax revenues and supporting more than 8,000 jobs. As long as the fishery remains healthy, this positive economic impact can continue. Best of all, it requires no spending or infrastructure improvements, it only requires taking care of the habitats that make the fishery possible.
This economically valuable fishery is entirely dependent upon healthy habitats. As habitats are damaged and destroyed, the fishery suffers. Given the amount of habitat damage that has already occurred in the Florida Keys, it is now critically important to protect habitats that remain. Activities associated with channel widening will destroy, degrade, and modify habitats upon which tarpon and their prey depend, so would further stress a fishery that has already suffered from previous habitat loss in the Keys.
The area where channel widening would occur is an essential gathering location for adult tarpon. Not only does the recreational fishery depend on this area for fishing, but the tarpon that gather in this area migrate throughout the Keys, and even along the southeastern US coast and Gulf of Mexico. Therefore, damaging the habitats in this location will have both local and regional negative impacts.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is a science-based, conservation organization that conducts research and conservation to ensure healthy fisheries for bonefish, tarpon, and permit, and to protect the habitats upon which these fisheries depend. This ensures quality fisheries for the future. Our members include recreational fishing guides and anglers in the Florida Keys, and anglers that travel from around the world to the Keys to fish for tarpon, bonefish, and permit. Given BTT’s involvement in fisheries conservation throughout Florida and the Caribbean, we are certain that the long term economic health of Key West is more dependent on maintaining healthy habitats for economically important fisheries than widening the ship channel. We hope that you reach the same conclusion. Vote “No” on October 1.
Sincerely,
Aaron Adams, Ph.D.
Director of Operations
Bonefish and Tarpon Trust
