Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) status for Snapper Ledge, Tavernier, Key Largo, Florida
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Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
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We the undersigned request the enactment of a law, regulation, and/or ordinance prohibiting the taking of any and all types of marine creatures, sponges, corals, aquatic plants and grasses from the waters around the dive site commonly known as Snapper Ledge, Tavernier, Key Largo, Florida Keys, Florida by any and all means. We the undersigned seek Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) status for Snapper Ledge.
We request this action because this reef is a unique and popular scuba diving site that is well known internationally for its diverse and dense concentration of marine creatures. Unfortunately, the area is being depleted and destroyed by fisherman who kill fish for food, sport and pleasure using both spears and hooks.
Snapper Ledge, a popular dive site off of Tavernier in the Florida Keys, is home to some of the most dense and diverse marine life populations in the area. Divers regularly report the presence of large schools of grunts, snappers, and many other species of fish, including parrotfish, rays, lobsters, and more. Divers also report that although the extreme density of marine life is present during the entire year, it is concentrated only in the immediate area around what is commonly known as Snapper Ledge.
Divespots.com describes Snapper Ledge as follows:
"Often, the schools of fish are so thick that you cannot see through them. You can usually count on seeing a few nurse sharks along with green and spotted Moray Eels. Other frequent sightings include Goat Fish, Hog Snappers, Trunk Fish, Sea Urchins, Crabs, Lobster, Nurse Sharks, Spider and Arrow Crabs, Rays, Octopus, Corkscrew Anenome, Eel, Cleaner Shrimp, Butter Hamlet, and Hawk Fish.
"One of the largest and healthiest Boulder Brain Corals (Colpophyllia natans) in the Upper Keys can be found on Snapper's Ledge. This site is an exceptional location for both snorkeling and diving -- a serious "Must Dive" site in the keys."
Unfortunately, Snapper Ledge has become a popular destination for spear-fishing. It is common for recreational SCUBA divers to see the carnage left by spear-fisherman, many of whom are underwater simply to shoot animals for sport. Some divers have even reported spear-fisherman killing animals within mere feet of them.
Nurse sharks are a common target, and many divers have testified to seeing nurse sharks speared for sport and left to die prolonged deaths over the course of many days.
Professional underwater photographer and Key Largo resident Stephen Frink photographed a nurse shark -- still alive -- that had been "stabbed through the back and eviscerated." See Stephen's blog entry (link below) for his letter about the situation at Snapper Ledge, and for a photo of the eviscerated nurse shark.
We the undersigned seek Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) status for Snapper Ledge.
By virtue of its unusually dense concentration of marine life and value as a marquee dive site for recreational SCUBA divers, Snapper Ledge should be protected as a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA), just as Molasses Reef and French Reef are protected. There are plenty of other places to spear fish off Tavernier and Islamorada, and to decimate the fish populations at Snapper Ledge is both shortsighted and barbaric.
--- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs) ---
A common misconception is that MPAs and SPAs reduce the availability of fish for fishing (including spear-fishing).
In fact, MPAs and SPAs can increase the productivity of local fishing grounds because "in the absence of fishing pressure inside reserves, fish are able to grow to maturity and to increase in overall abundance. This leads to increased reproductive potential inside reserves, and the subsequent increased production of eggs and larvae, which can be transported by currents of the reserves to replenish nearby fishing grounds."
Source: http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/faqs.html#Fisherie_Enhancement
--- USEFUL LINKS ---
Snapper Ledge information, Divespots.com
http://www.divespots.com/scuba/spotID-147/view.divespot
Stephen Frink, on Snapper Ledge
http://stephenfrink.blogspot.com/2008/08/shark-dead-for-no-reason.html
National Marine Protected Areas: FAQs
http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/faqs.html#Fisherie_Enhancement
We request this action because this reef is a unique and popular scuba diving site that is well known internationally for its diverse and dense concentration of marine creatures. Unfortunately, the area is being depleted and destroyed by fisherman who kill fish for food, sport and pleasure using both spears and hooks.
Snapper Ledge, a popular dive site off of Tavernier in the Florida Keys, is home to some of the most dense and diverse marine life populations in the area. Divers regularly report the presence of large schools of grunts, snappers, and many other species of fish, including parrotfish, rays, lobsters, and more. Divers also report that although the extreme density of marine life is present during the entire year, it is concentrated only in the immediate area around what is commonly known as Snapper Ledge.
Divespots.com describes Snapper Ledge as follows:
"Often, the schools of fish are so thick that you cannot see through them. You can usually count on seeing a few nurse sharks along with green and spotted Moray Eels. Other frequent sightings include Goat Fish, Hog Snappers, Trunk Fish, Sea Urchins, Crabs, Lobster, Nurse Sharks, Spider and Arrow Crabs, Rays, Octopus, Corkscrew Anenome, Eel, Cleaner Shrimp, Butter Hamlet, and Hawk Fish.
"One of the largest and healthiest Boulder Brain Corals (Colpophyllia natans) in the Upper Keys can be found on Snapper's Ledge. This site is an exceptional location for both snorkeling and diving -- a serious "Must Dive" site in the keys."
Unfortunately, Snapper Ledge has become a popular destination for spear-fishing. It is common for recreational SCUBA divers to see the carnage left by spear-fisherman, many of whom are underwater simply to shoot animals for sport. Some divers have even reported spear-fisherman killing animals within mere feet of them.
Nurse sharks are a common target, and many divers have testified to seeing nurse sharks speared for sport and left to die prolonged deaths over the course of many days.
Professional underwater photographer and Key Largo resident Stephen Frink photographed a nurse shark -- still alive -- that had been "stabbed through the back and eviscerated." See Stephen's blog entry (link below) for his letter about the situation at Snapper Ledge, and for a photo of the eviscerated nurse shark.
We the undersigned seek Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) status for Snapper Ledge.
By virtue of its unusually dense concentration of marine life and value as a marquee dive site for recreational SCUBA divers, Snapper Ledge should be protected as a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA), just as Molasses Reef and French Reef are protected. There are plenty of other places to spear fish off Tavernier and Islamorada, and to decimate the fish populations at Snapper Ledge is both shortsighted and barbaric.
--- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs) ---
A common misconception is that MPAs and SPAs reduce the availability of fish for fishing (including spear-fishing).
In fact, MPAs and SPAs can increase the productivity of local fishing grounds because "in the absence of fishing pressure inside reserves, fish are able to grow to maturity and to increase in overall abundance. This leads to increased reproductive potential inside reserves, and the subsequent increased production of eggs and larvae, which can be transported by currents of the reserves to replenish nearby fishing grounds."
Source: http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/faqs.html#Fisherie_Enhancement
--- USEFUL LINKS ---
Snapper Ledge information, Divespots.com
http://www.divespots.com/scuba/spotID-147/view.divespot
Stephen Frink, on Snapper Ledge
http://stephenfrink.blogspot.com/2008/08/shark-dead-for-no-reason.html
National Marine Protected Areas: FAQs
http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/faqs.html#Fisherie_Enhancement
3049 Signatures
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Judy H
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, Florida 33037 U.S.A.
- Comments
- We hope to protect this special reef!!
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Thomas M
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Sunrise, fl
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Curt P
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Roberto P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Miami, FL 33155 USA
- Comments
- For Life
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JoAnna B
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- West Palm Beach, FL
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Laura M
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Tavernier, FL 33070, USA
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Mary Jane A
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Arcadia, C A 91006
- Comments
- Stop the destruction of fish for pleasure.
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Heather B
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Orlando, Fl 34761
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Mary D. N
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, FL 33037, USA
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Gary S
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Hollywood, Florida
- Comments
- Long Overdue
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leonard r
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- United States
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Phillip S
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Shary F
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Seattle, WA 98199-4328
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Michael R
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- 33134
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Alexandra L. M
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Dallas, TX
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Galia P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Coral Gables, Fl. 33146 USA
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Joseph D
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Cocoa Beach, Fl 32931. USA
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Dan C
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Everett, WA 98203 USA
- Comments
- We had the pleasure of diving Snapper Reef this past August, and thorought enjoyed the area. We were quite dismayed to come across a gutted nurse shark who was slowly expiting on the reef. We also cleaned up some monofiliment line that had been left. This is obviously a special spot, and we would urge you to include it withing the confines of the marine preserve. There are ample fishing locals further from the Park boundaries, and it would seem in everyone's interest to help keep the wildlife, and divers, safe from irresponsible sportsmen. Thank you for your consideration.
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Michael W W
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo FL 33037
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Arthur K
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jill b
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- florida
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Brent H
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, FL, 33037, U.S.A.
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Daylen D
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Philadelphia PA, 19125
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Mike P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Arthur V. R
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Palm Harbor, FL, 34684, USA
- Comments
- Of the utmost importance to preserve our coral reefs; we/ve lost enough already!
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Virginia D. S
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- 1055C Queen Anne Dr, FL, 34684-2743, USA
- Comments
- Coral reefs were not put on this earth to be destroyed by man!
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Anita R K
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Bushnell, FL 33513 USA
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Jean j
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key largo, Fl ,USA
- Comments
- We need to protect this area
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Wendy K
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, Fl 33037
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Michael B
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Columbia, MD, 21044, USA
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Robert C
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo Fl 33037
- Comments
- This is one of the nicest dive site in the Keys. Please don't allow them to continue to destory it. There is currently a dive shop teaching spearfishing at the site.
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Edna W
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, FL 33037 USA
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Katryna A
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Richmond, VA 23235 USA
- Comments
- Pls protect Snapper Ledge. I have traveled hundreds of miles and across 4 states to dive and photography fish at Snapper Ledge. It needs protection!
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Marlon P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Miami,FL,33194,USA
- Comments
- "In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create but what we refuse to destroy" John Sawhill
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Matt S
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Fort Myers, FL 33908 USA
- Comments
- К
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Capt. Russell D
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Key Largo, FL
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Brad F
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John M
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Prescott AZ 86303
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Laurie V
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Stuart, Florida 34996 USA
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John G
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Raphael B
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Willemstad, Curacao, Dutch Antilles
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Pamela A
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Lawrence G. Z
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 USA
- Comments
- One of the best upper keys reefs to dive
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Dennis W
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Zionsville, IN 46077 USA
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Sarah W
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Zionsville, IN 46077 USA
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Corrine P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Hagerstown, MD 21740 United States
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mary ann c
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- key largo, fl
- Comments
- a beautiful place to dive
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Heather K
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Scott Q
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Cincinnati, OH
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Alexander P
- City, State, Zip Code, Country
- Miami
- Comments
- Save our animals
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3049
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