From Stan Smith, New Orleans, LA:
I would like you to be a part of saving the oilrigs from destruction. The rigs that the President has ordered to be removed have been there some of them for thirty years. They have been capped for many years and do not pose a threat. It is a knee jerk reaction to the BP spill and these shallow water structures are nothing like the Deep Water Horizon Rig that spilled.
View this underwater video. Understand that the government is destroying these oil rigs. They are being destroyed daily and hundreds are on the list.
If you do not know that they hold more life than any other reef systems in the world and if Florida wants to see more red snapper, (and other reef fishes) removing these breeding grounds will do major damage. REMOVING THESE REEFS ARE DOING MORE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE FISHERIES THAN THE BP SPILL ITSELF! If they were removing coral reef in the Florida Keys no one would stand for it but since it’s Louisiana no one seems to care.
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From Robert McColley:
When AFC attacks the PTTS tournament then and only then will I participate again! Instead of blaming the rich of Boca Grande and swearing by jigs and having the PTTS verify the low kill rate let us look at intaernet pics of fish with knive cuts to the air bladder to facilitate dumping. or maybe the four out of 10 that washed up with jigs all over which according to the brilliant jerks at PTTS is a 13% kill ratio, new math I guess. There is nothing professional about this tournament it is simply for tv and money. It is wrong. As long as it continues no conservation group is worthy of my membership. There will be another protest staged this spring during the tournament (circus).
The PTTS tournament (tarpon for television) is usually held during May. Details on protest may be available from the Boca Grande Guides Association.
This tournament is well organized and has had much in the way of financial support. It is about money and the prize money is substantial in this economy. Of course when pictures of dead tarpon washing up on the beach are seen on the internet (www.tarpon.org) with breakaway jigs everywhere but the mouth, and knife cuts to the air bladder to facilitate dumping there is something wrong. Each year the fish are leaving the pass to escape the fishing pressure and staying out longer and longer. Therefore with the 13% kill rate the fishery is in trouble. (4 out of ten washed up and by new math that is 13%). It was the number one tarpon spot in the world. I will go out at night drift the pass with crabs for bait and catch and release just about as many as the PTTS. There is a proper way to do things.
Last year the protestors got pictures of the tournament violations (dragging fish to scale from outside the pass) the knife cuts, the dumping to avoid cameras etc. These pictures were sent to the sponsors and 3 withdrew their support. This is what it will take. I thought congress and Florida Fish and Wildlife and the Florida Guides Assoc would help but all three have been seen participating in the PTTS tournament!
This is not coming from a bunch of wealthy residents as many claim. The local guides are very knowledgeable and are definitely against the PTTS.
I have resigned as a member of the Florida Guides Association and the Florida Fish Game Commission advisory board as they are more interested in prize money than conservation.
Check PTTS website for dates – protests are on the beach at charlotte harbor at the mouth of the harbor in front of lighthouse where there will be limited parking at lighthouse. Signs and cameras are tools you need.