Oh no. I have an opinion. I am just not blind to the right of others to also have one. I enjoy a lively informed debate but have no respect for emotional arguments and insulting comebacks.
This is like going down a rabbit hole as you posted earlier. Interesting that you need to point out that I am opinionated (guilty as charged), but at the same time claiming that you don't have an opinion. Obviously you do, and when I point it out your upset? If you have no respect for insulting comebacks and emotional responses why are your posting them? If you feel as if I have attacked you personally, it's not my intent,I sincerely apologize. I will state this clearly one more time, the problem is a criminal matter, it needs to be dealt with by LE (IMHO). Arguments that LE can't catch the individuals because its too difficult are laughable (IMHO). One FWC officer checking fishing licenses at high tide, for a few days should put a major crimp in the activity, regardless of whether the perp is there or not (IMHO). No need to punish all fisherman because of the actions of a few, its shortsighted and makes divers calling for a ban on fishing look like an extremely selfish group of individuals (IMHO). If anybody has opinions otherwise that's fine, they are entitled to their opinions as I am mine. My intent here has been to offer counter arguments to what IMHO, are absurd arguments that have are IMHO completely in the self interest of those making said arguments.
There are reasons why, at least in my area, there is no diving by fishing piers. There is no diving by boat ramps. Where there is a dive park next to a fishing pier, there is a rope boundary underwater.
I am going to try and lower the temperature here. What you stated here makes complete and logical sense. A rope boundary underwater, sounds like an excellent idea! However what we are talking about is taking place in Florida (Flor a DUH). Often common sense is missing especially in regards to public officials, and lack of common sense almost seems like a way of life here (Don't get me wrong, I have been here for 29 years and enjoy it immensely).
Phil Foster Park (BHB) is a very busy place. COVID has made it even more so. Boats everywhere, fisherman everywhere, divers everywhere, swimmers, snorkelers, paddle boarders, beach goers, kayakers, picnickers, homeless individuals, and a small assorted amount of criminals (drug dealers, drug users, thieves, and apparently fisherman with malicious intent).
The place is wide open. So maybe things would be easier if boundaries were demarcated. The swim zone and the boat channel are demarcated. However, snorkelers and divers usually without intent wonder into the boat channel, boats occasionally come into or to close to the swim area. It used to be that divers stayed out of the swim area, but they put the snorkel trail inside the swim area so divers are there all the time. Lifeguards used to tell divers to enter the water outside the swim zone, but they seem to have capitulated to the amount of divers a while ago. There is no official demarcation for dive zones. The fishing pier in the park is obviously thus, but no signs tell divers that they can't be under it. I was standing on the fishing pier the other day, and there was a dive flag smack in the middle of the channel under the west span of the bridge (talk about a lack of self preservation!) Amazingly all of this activity goes on with very little conflict. BTW the small bridge on the Eastside where the alleged malicious fishing is taking place is not inside the park, but it all falls loosely under the normal definition of BHB.
My own self interest is this, I dive there on the east and west side sometimes pushing the limits of being where maybe I shouldn't be (I do always have a flag, but its a matter of begging forgiveness vs. asking permission so to speak), often in an attempt to escape other divers. I would prefer not have ANYBODY making up a bunch of rules (no fishing for example), that might impact where and where I cannot dive there. For me, one group trying to limit the access of another group for former groups benefit is unreasonable, and a sure fire way for even more groups to pile in and attempt the same thing. We could argue ad nauseam about the economic impacts of fishing vs. diving vs. boating, vs. general tourism, etc. As messy as it might be in its current state, I prefer the mess to everybody trying to regulate everybody else. Again let me caveat all IMHO. And finally, as I apologized to
@uncfnp , if you feel as if I am have personally attacked you, I sincerely apologize.
