January 2009 Florida Keys Fishing News
FWC records high counts during statewide manatee survey
A team of scientists counted an all-time-high number of
manatees during the annual manatee synoptic survey conducted
the week of Jan. 19. The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research
Institute (FWRI) reported a preliminary count of 3,807
manatees statewide. A team of 21 observers from nine
organizations counted 2,153 manatees on Florida’s East Coast
and 1,654 on the West Coast of the state.
This year’s count exceeded the previous high count from 2001
by more than 500 animals. In both years, survey conditions
were favorable for aerial observations. Although synoptic
results are not population estimates and should not be used
to assess trends, the FWC is encouraged by this year’s high
count. Survey results are consistent with population models
that show the manatee population appears to be increasing in
Northwest Florida, along the Atlantic Coast and on the upper
St. Johns River.
The synoptic survey is a count of manatees over a broad
area. The survey provides researchers with a snapshot of
manatee distribution and a minimum number of manatees in
Florida waters at the time of the count.
Researchers have been conducting synoptic surveys since
1991, weather permitting, to meet the state’s requirement
for an annual count of manatees in Florida waters. Weather
and manatee behavior affect synoptic survey counts. The best
conditions for the synoptic survey occur during the coldest
months of the year, when manatees gather at warm-water
sites.
“Several cold fronts passed through Florida over a short
time period, causing a large number of manatees to move to
warm-water sites,” said FWRI biologist Holly Edwards. “Good
weather conditions allowed the manatees to be easily seen
and counted, contributing to this year’s high count.”
FWRI researchers are testing new survey methods that will
provide a population estimate for Florida manatees as
outlined in the FWC’s manatee management plan. The
adjustments to the survey will help achieve more accurate
results and reduce dependency on the weather.
For more
information about manatees and synoptic surveys, visit
http://research.MyFWC.com.
To report a dead or injured manatee, call the FWC Wildlife
Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC.
Boaters, anglers oppose saltwater fishing license
The
coalition of boating and fishing groups is fighting a
proposal by New York Gov. David Paterson that would require
saltwater anglers to buy a $19 saltwater license ($40 for
out-of-state anglers) before casting a line in New York
coastal waters.
The requirement, they
say, would hurt marinas, tackle shops and marine dealers,
most of which are already suffering from a decline in
business.
This proposal is in
addition to a proposed luxury tax on all boats costing more
than $200,000, an increase in marina fees, an increase in
state park fees, and a lifting of the cap on state fuel
taxes.
"We're outraged that the
governor would recommend not one but five new or increased
taxes targeting fishermen, boaters and the $1 billion New
York recreational fishing industry. We're experiencing an
unprecedented downturn in fishing activity. Even fishing
from the shore will be an expensive outing under this tax
plan," said Jim Donofrio, executive director of Recreational
Fishing Alliance, in a statement.
Joining in RFA's
opposition is a coalition comprising the National Marine
Manufacturers Association, New York Fishing Tackle Trade
Association, United Boatmen of New York, and the New York
Marine Trades Association.
The new coalition is
calling itself Save Boating and Fishing Jobs in New York.
Recreational fishing in
New York created $812 million in sales, directly supported
5,365 jobs, and provided $424 million in value-added
economic impact and $126 million in tax revenue, according
to a 2006 National Marine Fisheries Service study.
Manufacturers offer boat show promotions
Retail promotions abound
this boat-show season, with two more manufacturers offering
special incentives.
Suzuki Marine is
offering its Gimme 6! sales promotion. Consumers buying a
new Suzuki 4-stroke outboard from 40- to 300-hp between Jan.
1 and March 31, can get the engine maker’s standard
three-year limited warranty plus three years of Suzuki
Extended Protection at no extra charge, or they can receive
a cash rebate of up to $500.The extended warranty offer
applies to repower and new boat purchases (for
non-commercial use only).
Godfrey Marine is
teaming up with BRP to offer special incentives for
consumers who purchase a Sanpan, Aqua Patio, Sweetwater,
Parti Kraft, Hurricane, Hurricane Fishing Series, Polar and
Polar Kraft boats packaged with an Evinrude E-TEC
outboard.The sales promotion offers the consumer a 5-year
BRP factory-backed warranty and a special low consumer
financing program. The promotion runs Jan. 1 through April
15 for new, unused 2009 model year and earlier Evinrude
E-TEC engines 40-hp and above
Century’s 2350DC wins
design award
Century Boat Co. of
Panama City, Fla., won a 2009 Excellence in Design award
from Trailer Boats magazine for its 2350DC dual console.
According to the magazine, “Dual console models must
function as both big-water sportfishers and family boats.
The trick is to make it work well in both roles, and
Century has succeeded with the 2350DC.” The article goes
on to note, “Though serious anglers may scoff, this is one
fishing machine you can enjoy with the whole family. And
isn’t that what life is all about?”
New
Way to Afford Luxury
Quartershare Yachts International has
launched a program offering 25 percent
ownership in a luxury yacht.
Quartershare owners will have the
ability to use their boat or an
identical vessel in the fleet for 10
calendar weeks per year. Owners also pay
25 percent of the fixed operating
costs. “A $4 million boat suddenly
costs $1 million, a $10 million vessel
now costs $2.5 million and a $40 million
yacht costs $10 million. The owners do
nothing except enjoy their time on board
while retaining the asset benefits of
ownership.” Quartershare president and
co-founder Andy Kimbel said in a
statement. Quartershare Yachts plans on
hiring crews and customer services
representatives in order to staff
vessels and operational hubs in early
2009.
Five
Year Extended Warranty Offered for Tohatsu
Tohatsu America
Corp., distributor of Tohatsu and Nissan
Marine outboards, is offering an extended
five-year limited warranty on any new,
unregistered 2008-09 model year engine
from 25 to 115 hp sold between Jan. 1 and
April 15 at no cost to the consumer or
dealer. The five-year limited warranty
will extend the third-year coverage from
Tohatsu America’s standard warranty.
Engines must be
registered
by April 30. Those used in commercial,
government, guide or racing applications
are ineligible.
Yamaha
halts production at 11 plants
Yamaha
Motor Company plans to temporarily stop
production at 11 facilities worldwide
because of the soft market. It was not
specified which facilities would be
affected. The company said production would
stop for seven to 10 days in February and
March at plants that manufacture marine
products, as well as those that make
motorcycles, recreational vehicles and
parts. Yamaha is based in Japan, with
Yamaha Motor Corp. USA headquartered in
Kennesaw, Ga.
National
- New Economic Report Finds Commercial and
Recreational Saltwater Fishing Generated More
Than Two Million Jobs
U.S.
commercial and recreational saltwater fishing
generated more than $185 billion in sales and
supported more than two million jobs in 2006,
according to a new economic report released by
NOAA Fisheries Service. The commercial fishing
industry - harvesters, seafood processors and
dealers, seafood wholesalers and seafood
retailers - generated $103 billion in sales,
$44 billion in income and supported 1.5
million jobs in 2006, the most recent year
included in the report. Recreational fishing
generated $82 billion in sales, $24 billion in
income, and supported 534,000 jobs in 2006.
The
report breaks down the sales, income and job
figures for each coastal state. It also
includes descriptive statistics on commercial
fish landings, revenue, and price trends;
recreational fishing effort, catch, and
participation rates; and employer and
non-employer establishments, annual payroll,
and annual receipt information for
fishing-related industries such as seafood
retailers and ship and boat building.
Atlantic Coast -
Snapper-Grouper Amendment Addresses Overfishing
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
has submitted Amendment 16 to the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery
of the South Atlantic Region for review by NOAA.
Amendment 16 was developed to address
overfishing in the snapper-grouper fishery. It
would establish management reference points and
specify interim allocations for the commercial
and recreational sectors for gag and vermilion
snapper, and implement management measures in
the commercial and recreational sectors of the
snapper-grouper fishery. These measures include:
a four-month spawning season closure of the
recreational and commercial shallow water
grouper fisheries; a five-month closure of the
recreational vermilion snapper fishery;
commercial quotas for gag and vermilion snapper;
a reduced recreational grouper aggregate bag
limit (including tilefish) and vermilion snapper
bag limit; and a requirement to use dehooking
and venting tools to reduce bycatch mortality of
snapper-grouper species.
Comments must be received by 5pm on February 23,
2009. For more information, read the
Federal Register notice
or contact John McGovern at (727) 824-5305.
Judge
lets ethanol suit move forward
District
Court judge in southern Florida recently denied a
request to dismiss a lawsuit regarding the damage
that gasoline blended with ethanol does to boat
engines and fuel tanks. The suit was filed last
August by The Kopelowitz Ostrow law firm on behalf
of clients Erick Kelesceny, John Egizi and Todd
Jessup, all Florida residents. Defendants in the
case are Exxon, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, BP and
Shell. The suit alleges that the oil companies
failed to warn boat owners that ethanol-blended
gasoline may destroy fiberglass tanks and tends to
absorb water and phase separate, which could cause
damage to any boat, regardless of its fuel tank
material.
The next step following this week’s ruling is
pursuing certification to become a class-action
lawsuit, according to a report in the Naples News.
If successful, the oil companies will be forced to
place a warning label on pumps at all Florida gas
stations. The plaintiffs also seek compensation
for Florida boat owners whose boats have been
damaged by the fuel. "Denial of the motion is a
significant step toward redressing the wrong
perpetrated on Florida's boating population," said
TKO managing partner Jeffrey Ostrow, in a
statement. "Florida is the boating capital of the
world, and it is reprehensible for oil companies
to enjoy significant profits while knowingly
paralyzing Florida's boaters."
Everglades
National Park - Fuel now available at Flamingo
Everglades
National Park announced that Everglades National
Park Boat Tours (ENPBT) was awarded the commercial
services contract for the Flamingo area of the
park as of December 23, 2008. ENPBT will
continue providing commercial services in the Gulf
Coast area of the park. During the transition at
Flamingo some services were disrupted that are now
available: The Marina Store is fully operational
for both cash and credit sales. Fuel sales have
resumed Canoe and skiff rentals are available
Whitewater Bay boat tours are operating Call the
concessionaire for tour schedules and reservations
at 239-695-3101 Call park headquarters if you have
any general questions 305-242-7700
Historic
Nike Missile Base Opens to the Public
HOMESTEAD,
FLORIDA -- Superintendent Dan Kimball is pleased to
announce that the National Park Service has opened
the historic Nike Hercules Missile Base HM-69
located in Everglades National Park to the public
for the first time since it was turned over to the
park in 1979.
The park is
offering guided tours of one of the best preserved
relics of the Cold War in Florida. This significant
historical site is physically the best overall
example of the Nations missile defense system close
to Cuba and remains virtually the same as it was
when official use of the site was terminated in
1979.
This Missile
Base was built by the United States Army Corps of
Engineers in 1963 at the height of the Cold War,
immediately following the Cuban Missile Crisis of
October, 1962. At a time when national security
against Soviet attack was Americas main priority,
the United States Army chose this strategic site
within Everglades National Park, located 160 miles
from the Cuban coast, to build a missile site.
The base was
listed on the U. S. Department of the Interiors
National
Register of
Historic Places on July 27, 2004 as a Historic
District. The
area includes
22 contributing buildings and structures associated
with events that have made a significant
contribution to American history and embodies
distinctive characteristics of the period. Some of
the structures that are part of the tour include
three missile barns built to contain 41-foot
missiles (some with nuclear warheads) a missile
assembly building, a guard dog kennel, barracks,
control centers within berms that served as blast
protection, and a number of other features.
This base is
one of four that were built in South Florida; one in
north Key Largo (now Key Largo Hammocks State Park),
one in Miramar (now a Publix shopping center), one
that is now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Krome Detention Center, and the site in Everglades
National Park.
The
interpretive tours will be held every Saturday at
2:00 p.m. through March 28, 2009. The tours are free
but park entrance fees apply. In order to join the
tour, please reserve a space by signing up at the
parks Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, or by calling
305-242-7700. Reservations will be taken up to 30
minutes before each tour. The Ernest Coe Visitor
Center is located 9 miles southwest of Homestead on
State Road 9336. Tours will be by car caravan.
Participants must arrive in the park by 1:30 p.m.
and be prepared to drive 14 miles round trip from
the visitor center.
-NPS-
A Good Tale You Are Guaranteed to Enjoy
Hi everyone, this story was given to me by, Kirk
Weisman, a 4 time a year return client of CVL.
Every time he comes down he wants to try to do
something Unheard of. Well, the picture of the fly
and story is great for a chuckle and if anyone out
there is a cell phone wizard the marlin with the
$2.00 fly pictures on the phone. Antonio is trying
everything possible to get them off but it’s an
older phone that you can’t download to a cpu. I’m
sure some one out there, somewhere could get those
pictures off. Anyway, below is the story and
attached is your fly! If any one has any comments
or questions, please feel free to phone or email.
“They call me
Senior Dos, I got that name from my friends at the
Casa Veija Lodge. First time I stayed at the lodge
I showed up with 2 dollar bills to give as “Suerte”
(good luck). I gave 2 dollar bills to fellow anglers
at the lodge, employees and anyone that would take
one. And some people more than one bill.
Coincidentally I was given room # 2 which has
stuck.
Each time I
returned to the lodge, I would continue with my 2
dollar bills and stay in room #2 as tradition for
good luck. If you look in the kitchen, Mama Loya
tapped a 2 dollar bill above the stove. There’s
also a $2 bill tapped in Julian’s tip jar on the bar
– 24/7. AND Last year with Captain Mike Sheeder,
amazingly, I released a sail on 2# tippet, hence,
the name Senior Dos. Not to mention the $2 bills
showing up everywhere in the marina after I leave.
Upon my arrival
this trip I learned room #2 was occupied, I was not
happy. Antonio told me room #24 could be the new
room #2. Room #24 looked pretty good and was the
closest room to the food, so OK. While settling in
my new room, I hear the sound of a drill on the
door. What I found when I stepped outside is that
Antonio had removed the “4” from the door. He did
this so I would feel more at home in the new room
#2.
My first day of
fishing, I released only 2 sails on the fly. Capt
Mike suggested that Flaco make a fly out of a $2
bill and tomorrow we will try releasing a sailfish
with it. At least it will make a great story. And
for my part in changing our luck, I decided to call
my Rabbi on the satellite phone to ask him to pray
for more fish. I called the Rabbi a second time at
the end of the day. His question was: do you want
me to pray for size or amount? I said both.
The sea was
angry that day my friend.
For luck every
day I got on the Intensity (the boat) I handed
everyone $2 bills for their pockets, this day was no
exception. With the $2 tradition for luck and a new
$2 bill fly, I planned to use the $2 fly on the
second fish of the day. So that morning, after
releasing the first fish, we switched to the $2 fly
that Flaco made, putting it on my 14 weight Cam
Sigler fly rod with 20 pound tippet. While ready
but waiting, I sat with Cap Mike. A tragedy struck,
my lucky coin fell from my pocket and bounced into
the Pacific, “this is not good”. Fortunately this
turned out to be minor, because as luck goes maybe
Manolo had saved us. In the $2 tradition, a bill
goes on the Intensity’s transom when we go out. The
wet bill sticks to the transom, but will eventually
blow off into the sea. This upsets Manolo, so this
trip he carefully tied the bill with fishing line to
the bottom of transom. Each time the bill blew
off; he would catch it and slap it back to the
transom. Good job Manolo.
A little after
12 noon, up in the spread, comes a marlin. Captain
Mike told me to cast out the marlin fly on the
marlin rod. As I cast out, the fly becomes
tangled, the marlin hits it, I strike the fish and
the fish spit out the tangled fly. After many
expletives coming from the bridge, Capt. Mike, yells
out, “get the other rod.” I make my cast, the
marlin eats it and its game on! About 2 minutes
into the fight, everyone realizes it is the $2 fly I
have on the marlin. Lucky fish. And approximately
45 minutes later, we released, tagged and billed the
marlin, having recovered the $2 fly. By the way,
the blue marlin was about 200 pounds. I think I
will keep passing out my $2 bills for “mas suerte”.
Calling the Rabbi two times could not have hurt.
Just call me Senior Dos.
Senior Dos
Aka Kirk
Weisman
Tampa, FL”
Blessing Of the Fleet
The traditional
blessing of the fleet at the Whale Harbor Bridge was
successful once again.
Fish Tales
Charter boat won 1st place again this year.
The
Rotary Club of Key West Proudly Presents the Seventh
Annual
Key West Boat Show and Nautical Market at the Truman
Waterfront, Key West.
The seventh annual free Key West Boat Show and
Nautical Market is back and bigger than ever! It cranks
up Friday, February 27th and goes to Sunday March 1st.
The huge Truman Waterfront show will feature a large
selection of new and used boats with some of the leading
boat dealers in the Florida Keys. The quarter mile long
nautical market will offer boaters and fishing
enthusiasts everything from the latest marine equipment,
rods and reels to arts and crafts, nautical clothing and
accessories. Best deals of the year are to be had with
total clearance of 2008 powerboats!
Great deals, fun, excitement and entertainment for the
entire family with live music on the main stage and
more, great food, cold beverages and ice cold beer all
weekend long.
For the kids, the show will offer the "Fish Florida"
rods and reels program which is providing 800 free rods,
reels and tackle boxes. Kids will have the opportunity
to participate in a 4 - part educational program: The
Responsible Angler, Bait and Tackle, Knot Tying and
Equipment, and Casting. After completing this short and
fun program, our local youth will be given rods, reels
and a tackle box and be shown how to cast from the
waterfront.
100% of the proceeds from this event benefit the Rotary
Club of Key West's scholarship fund, which distributed
more than $40,000 scholarships last year between Key
West High School and local grade schools.
If you're going: Bring the entire family, free admission
to show, plenty of on-site parking, rods and reels for
the kids (while supplies last). Live music and plenty of
great food, cold beverages and ice cold beer all
weekend.
Hours are: Friday, February 27th from noon till sunset,
Saturday, February 28th from 9 am until 5 pm and Sunday,
March 1st from 9 am until 3 pm.
Directions: From areas north, drive south on USĀ 1 and
turn right onto North Roosevelt Blvd. as you enter Key
West. Drive on Roosevelt Blvd until the Roosevelt Blvd
becomes Truman Ave. Drive one block past Duval Street
and turn right onto Whitehead Street. Drive
approximately 1 mile to Southard Street and turn left.
Go through the Truman Annex gates and the Boat Show is
located in the Truman Waterfront at the end of Southard
Street.
For more information visit:
www.KeyWestBoatShow.com
Islamorada
Presidential Sailfish Tournament Changes
Dear Friends and
Fellow Anglers.
I am
pleased to announce that the dates of the Cheeca Lodge
Presidential Sailfish Tournament will not go up in
smoke. The Islamorada Presidential Sailfish Tournament
will take place on the same dates with the same
tournament format. The host facility, Marker 88
Restaurant, is putting up a tent and hosting this event
for 2009. After the tragic accident at Cheeca Lodge the
management has decided that the tournament was to be
canceled. In true Keys fashion our local business and
fishing friends all decided that a tournament must go
on. With the help of the Islamorada Charterboat
Association, tournament sponsors Caribee Boat Sales,
Yamaha Outboards, and Contender Boats the Islamorada
Presidential Sailfish tournament was formed. This
tournament will provide our anglers with all the fanfare
formerly shown by Cheeca Lodge, just at a different
venue. The Stoky family has put forth great effort to
make this the world class event that people have become
accustomed to. The proceeds of the tournament will
benefit the Islamorada Charterboat Association a 501-c-3
organization. We will kick off Thursday January 15th
at 5:30. All rules, times, fishing dates, etc. will be
the same as the Cheeca would have been. I hope you will
join us for a great tournament. For more information
please contact me at 305-852-2102 or
ditournaments@aol.com
January Lecture & Social
Capt. Ron Wagner
will show
Winds across the Everglades
Captain Ron Wagner
never forgot the story and its importance after seeing
this film as a youngster. Wind across The Everglades
captures the wild dangerous beauty of early 1900s
Florida. An alcoholic conservationist tries to protect
the Florida Everglades from both real estate developers
and poachers killing some of the wild life. Hunters
were receiving $60.00 to $100.00 per once for feathers.
This agent
faces off with the leader of one band of bird-hunters in
this fictionalized account of the Audubon Society battle
to end the killing of Florida's plume birds, whose
feathers were used at the turn of the century for
women's hats.
The movie
which is hour and half long has wonderful video scenes
from the Everglades the way they were.
Monday,
January 19th at 6:30 P.M.
The
Islamorada Public Library, MM 82, Bayside
Lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments
will be served.
For more information
please call Irving Eyster, President of the Matecumbe
Historical Trust at 664-9504.
Mercury giving rebates on select models
Mercury Marine is
offering rebates through March 31 with the purchase of any
qualifying inflatable purchased from any U.S. Mercury
dealer.
Boats and their
affiliated rebates are:
·
Roll-Up, Sport & Air Deck models: $100
·
Ocean Runner, Heavy Duty & Dynamic models: $125
·
350 Amanzi: Free stainless steel bow rail plus $150
Boats are for pleasure use only. Those
purchased for commercial use do not qualify. Rebate request
forms are available at all Mercury dealerships and must be
postmarked no late than April 15. Standard limited warranty
applies.
Mercury Marine is a division of
Brunswick Corp.
NOAA to
Create Saltwater Angler Registry NO
W SET FOR 2010
NOT2009
Final
rule gives states more time to implement local data
gathering
NOAA’s
Fisheries Service released its final rule today to create a
national saltwater angler registry of all marine
recreational fishermen to help the nation better protect our
shared marine resources. A requirement to establish a
registry was included in a statute approved by Congress in
2007.
The final
rule requires anglers and spearfishers who fish
recreationally in federal ocean waters to be included in the
national saltwater angler registry by January 1, 2010. NOAA
had originally proposed that registration be required
beginning in January 2009, but based on public input decided
to give states another year to put in place their own data
collection systems.
NOAA
received nearly 500 comments from anglers, state officials,
and fishing and environmental organizations on its proposed
national registry rule during the comment period from June
12 until Aug. 21. The registry is one component of the
agency's new Marine Recreational Information Program, an
initiative to enhance data collection on recreational catch
and effort.
To read
the final registry rule and other information about the
Marine Recreational Information Program, go to:
http://www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov.
SAVOR KEYS SEAFOOD
AND SALUTE COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN AT JAN. 17 FESTIVAL
Fresh seafood has been an integral part of Keys cuisine
since settlers first fished the island chain’s waters
nearly two centuries ago. Today, chefs create signature
dishes around the prized harvest of the region’s
commercial fishermen — from clawless Florida lobster to
sweet pink shrimp and stone crab claws.
This indigenous seafood, and the fishermen who devote
their careers to seeking it, are to be celebrated
Saturday, Jan. 17, during the fourth annual Florida Keys
Seafood Festival. Presented by the Florida Keys
Commercial Fishermen’s Association and the University of
Florida/Monroe County Extension Service, the
family-friendly festival is to take place from 11 a.m. to
9 p.m. at Key West’s Bayview Park, located at Truman
Avenue and Eisenhower Drive. Admission is free.
The seafood festival’s menu typically features fresh
Florida lobster, grouper, stone crab claws, deepwater
golden crab, Key West pink shrimp and more — including
favorite dishes such as savory conch chowder, sweet flan
and Key lime pie. All seafood offerings are to be caught,
cooked and served by fishermen and their families. Soft
drinks, beer and wine also are to be available for
purchase.
In addition, plans call for attractions including games
for children, entertainment by local musicians and an
appearance by the Key West High School band. The ZZ Top
tribute band ZZ Not is scheduled as the musical headliner
during the evening hours. Vendor booths are to offer arts
and crafts portraying the fishing community and marine
life, as well as other items handcrafted by local
artisans. Information booths and educational exhibits also
will be found on-site.
Proceeds from
the festival are to benefit the Florida Keys Commercial
Fishermen’s Association and scholarships for college-bound
children of commercial fishermen. For more information,
call (305) 872-9026, e-mail
vickigale@bellsouth.net,
or visit
www.fkcfa.org
or
http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/.
Cheeca Lodge Temporarily Closes Due to Building Fire . .
.
A New Year’s Eve fire at the 199-room
Cheeca Lodge Resort & Spa left the resort’s main building
heavily damaged, but there were no injuries to guests, staff
or firefighters, officials said Thursday. The resort was
temporarily closed to guests until management can complete
assessments to effect repairs to the main building and
restore the telecommunications system that was also damaged.
Resort staff
helped relocate guests and advised travelers with
near-future Cheeca reservations to call their off-site
reservations center at (800) 327-2888 to determine the
resort’s status. A resort spokeswoman said vacationers who
cannot be accommodated would receive a full refund and help
with travel plans to other Keys resorts. The Islamorada
Chamber of Commerce at (800) FAB-KEYS also is assisting in
the relocation process.
The fire began
on a thatched awning on the front of the building and
quickly spread round to the backside. The building
encompasses administrative offices, the lobby, a restaurant,
conference center and 49 guest rooms. No other buildings on
the property were impacted and the conference center and
administrative offices survived without incident. Other
areas of the building were heavily impacted though, by smoke
and water pumped to douse the flames, officials said.
Islamorada Fire-Rescue personnel and Monroe County Sheriff’s
Office deputies assisted resort staff members to safely
evacuate guests from the building. About 80 firefighters
responding from as far away as Marathon and Miami-Dade
assisted efforts to extinguish the blaze, according to
Islamorada Fire Chief William A. Wagner, III. Cause of the
fire is under investigation by the state fire marshal’s
office. “Foul play” has been ruled out, Wagner said.
EPIRB changeover
starts next month
Beginning next
month, search-and-rescue satellites will no longer process
the 121.5/243 MHz signal transmitted by older analog
EPIRBs. The Coast Guard is reminding mariners to replace
these EPIRBs with the newer 406 MHz beacons by Feb. 1. The
406 MHz signal is 50 times more powerful than the 121.5,
allowing better detection and providing a more accurate
search area for rescue authorities, according to the Coast
Guard.
Also, the number of false alerts
with digital beacons reportedly is significantly lower
than with analog units. Satellites are incapable of
distinguishing between beacon and non-beacon sources using
analog frequencies, resulting in only about one in five
alerts coming from a beacon, according to the Coast Guard.
False alert signals can come from ATMs, pizza ovens and
stadium scoreboards. EPIRB users can register their
beacons in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database
at
www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov
or by calling (888)
212-SAVE.
June is Great
Outdoors Month
President Bush and forty state governors have declared
the month of June great outdoors month and this week is great outdoors week. A
very fitting time to spend the last two days in Washington, DC, attending
meetings of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the
American Recreation Coalition (ARC). I serve as the Chairman of both
organizations.
I am joined on the RBFF board by Mike Hebert of Texas
Marine, Jason Scruggs of Lowe Boats, Doug Beacham, representing the marina
industry and John Hoagland of Mercury Marine to represent the boating
industry. There is similar representation from the fishing industry and from
state fish and wildlife agencies, SOBA and NASBLA.
RBFF is a federally funded outreach program to increase
participation in fishing and boating. Its $12 million annual budget is spent
promoting fishing and boating, promoting fishing license sales, and
encouraging the youth of our nation to get outdoors fishing and boating. The
Take Me Fishing campaign is in its fourth year and has been re-launched with
great new creative. Take a look at
www.takemefishing.org.
Take Me Fishing has partnered closely with Discover
Boating and you will see a much stronger boating presence as part of the Take
Me Fishing Web site, in their print ads and online. And, these synergies are
helping both campaigns squeeze more value out of every dollar spent.
The American Recreation Coalition last night honored
Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, with the Sheldon Coleman Great
Outdoors Award. I was fortunate to join the CEO of Coleman Company, Sam
Solomon, to present this honor to Secretary Kempthorne. As Secretary of the
Interior, Kempthorne has been a passionate supporter of getting Americans
outdoors, and particularly getting kids outdoors, to enjoy our national parks,
forests and waterways.
The dozens of recreation industries represented in ARC
are all suffering today from high gasoline prices, flagging consumer
confidence and a weakening economy. Yet, all understand that it is more
important than ever to work together to get more Americans outdoors.
Our future depends on getting more Americans outdoors and
boating will surely get its fair share when we succeed in doing so.
House subcommittee approves waterfront bill
The House Subcommittee on
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans last week approved H.R. 3223, the Keep Our
Working Waterfronts Act, as part of H.R. 5451, the Coastal Zone
Reauthorization Act of 2008.
H.R. 3223, sponsored by Rep.
Tom Allen, D-Maine, would allow coastal states to invest in the protection,
preservation, and expansion of working waterfronts through the Coastal Zone
Management Act.
The bill creates a grant
program to preserve access to coastal waters for commercial fishing operations
and other water-dependent, coastal-related businesses, including recreational
boating access. H.R. 3223 does this by amending the Coastal Zone Management
Act of 1972 to establish a competitive matching-grant program administered
through the Department of Commerce.
The legislation now heads to
the House Natural Resources Committee for consideration.
SeaRay sees jump in AquaPalooza registration
If early registration
numbers for Sea Ray's annual AquaPalooza are any indication, boaters aren’t
going to let these stressful economic times keep them landlocked this summer.
As of Sunday, the multi-location marine extravaganza had seen a 352-percent
increase in boat registration and a 395-percent increase in guest registration
over last year’s numbers.
Here’s a bottom-line breakdown:
-
In 2006, there were 442 boat
and 1,785 guest registrations by June 8.
-
In 2007, there were 1,048 boat
and 4,732 registrations by June 8.
-
In 2008, there were 4,502 boat
and 22,277 registrations by June 8.
I'm almost speechless, said Sea Ray president Rick Stone, in a statement. This
just goes to show that now more than ever people want to get away from the
stresses of life and take to the water with family and friends.
Last summer, AquaPalooza attracted more than 10,000 boats and 30,000 guests to
120 events throughout the world. This year, the boating party was expecting to
draw more than 50,000 guests this year to 150 events on lakes, rivers, bays
and harbors from New York to California, Egypt to Australia. “But with the
amount of registrations we’ve already had, AquaPalooza 2008 could be bigger
than we ever imagined,” said Stone.
Most of this year’s
festivities will take place during the last two weekends in July, but other
events are planned both before and after these dates. Sea Ray and its dealers
will begin AquaPalooza stateside from July 18-20 at the Signature Event at
Coconuts at the Lake, at Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
Attendees can visit the AquaPalooza Website at
www.aquapalooza.com or call 800-SRBOATS
for information
Analysis says boating accidents are on the decline
As National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23)
begins, the Personal Watercraft Industry Association today released an
analysis of boating safety data showing a decrease in boating accidents in 35
states from 2002 to 2006.
The decline in boating accidents in 22
states exceeds the five-year national decline of 13 percent, according to PWIA.
Vermont (83 percent decrease) and Hawaii (71 percent decrease) ranked first
and second for the most improved boating safety record. Florida and
California, the states with the most registered boats, each saw a 24 percent
decrease.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard data that
PWIA used in its analysis, accidents involving personal watercraft have
declined 31 percent in the same five-year period. Still, because most boating
accidents are preventable, PWIA reminds boaters of the steps they can take to
improve boating safety in their states.
Taking a boating safety class, wearing a
life jacket, operating your boat defensively to avoid collisions and boating
sober are all steps that every boater can take that will prevent an enjoyable
day from becoming a tragedy, said Maureen Healey, executive director of PWIA,
in a statement. She also serves on the board of directors of the National Safe
Boating Council.
Coast Guard data shows nine out of 10
boating fatality victims who drowned in 2006 were not wearing a life jacket.
PWIA attributes boating safety improvements
to many factors, including industry efforts to promote safe and responsible
boating behavior, and laws enacted at the state level to require boater
education.
The
association says education is
especially critical. In 2006, there were 710 boating fatalities nationwide,
nearly three-quarters of which occurred on boats where the operator had not
taken a boating safety course.
The leading causes of boating accidents are
all operator-controlled, such as inexperience, inattention, and excessive
speed. The leading types of accidents include collisions with other vessels
and collisions with fixed objects such as docks or channel markers.
Thirty-two of the 35 states
that have lowered the number of boating accidents in the last five years have
some type of mandatory boater education law.
Yamaha changes branding for marine care products
Yamaha Marine Group has put its marine care
products under the Yamalube brand.
Products affected include fuel additives,
adhesives and lubricants, which will now bear the name Yamalube. With the
change comes color-coded packaging designed to improve the customer’s ability
to choose the correct product for the job at hand.
Yamaha is creating and
launching an extensive campaign for dealers and customers as part of the
rollout, including easily identifiable in-store display materials.
Report says Florida has highest boating fatality rate
Florida leads the nation in boating fatalities,
with 77 boating-related deaths reported in 2007, according to a report
released this week by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The state, it was noted, also leads the country
in the number of registered vessels, with more than 1.027 million in 2007.
That’s 2,668 above 2006 records.
There were 668 reportable boat accidents in 2007.
Many of the boating-related deaths were because of victims falling overboard
or capsizing their boat and drowning. A large number of the deaths could have
been prevented if the victims had worn life jackets, the commission reported.
According to the report, 70 percent of the
operators involved in the accidents had no formal boater education.
Monroe County reported the highest number of
accidents and injuries with 74 accidents and four fatalities.
The report also found:
-
90 percent of victims of fatal
boating accidents were male.
-
22 percent of the boating
fatalities were caused by alcohol or drugs.
-
56 percent of the fatal
accidents were in vessels less than 17 feet in length.
To view the report, go to
www.MyFWC.com.
Sea Ray Boats to discontinue production in Merritt Island, Fla.
Sea Ray Boats plans to discontinue boat production at its plant in Merritt
Island, Fla., after June, effective with the 2009 model year. The Knoxville,
Tenn.-based boat builder told its employees Thursday it will be reducing the
number of boats it makes and plans to shift production of certain models from
Merritt Island to other plants in Florida and Tennessee, according to
Brunswick Corp. spokesman Dan Kubera.
The company said the decision was necessary because of market conditions,
calling these the “most challenging times ever seen in the history of the U.S.
marine industry. Based on various indicators, Sea Ray expects demand will
further weaken during 2008, and is taking measures to decrease its production
to better control the supply of boats in the marine pipeline. This must be
done to protect the overall health of the business as well as that of Sea Ray
dealers, according to Brunswick.
Investments, productivity improvements and available capacity at other Sea Ray
locations will allow for the migration of models now produced at Merritt
Island to other Sea Ray plants at Palm Coast, Fla., as well as two plants in
Knoxville, Tenn. When completed, Sea Ray will have a net loss of about 80
jobs. Merritt Island will see a reduction of 350 positions, while there is an
anticipated gain of 270 jobs at the three locations because they will be
adding to their production mix.
The Sea Ray and Merritt Island leadership teams will work to transfer as many
employees as possible between the various Sea Ray manufacturing plants and
other Brunswick Boat Group locations. This decision has no further impact on
other Sea Ray or Brunswick Boat Group manufacturing locations in Florida,
including those at Sykes Creek and Edgewater, according to the company.
Wall Street analysts are offering little hope of early relief after the latest
round of quarterly reports from the industries publicly held companies,
including Brunswick. The companies showed further declines in sales and
profits.
Boat registrations down 1.5 percent
Boat registrations in
the United States declined 1.5 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, according to
a new report from the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The boat
registrations report provides an excellent tool for understanding what's
happening within the recreational marine industry on a state-by-state basis.
Click here
to read the entire article or to contact the NMMA .
Honda Marine announces finance package
Honda Marine will offer special
retail financing rates as low as 6.5 percent throughout this year’s boat show
season. The program, offered by Honda Financial Services through participating
Honda Marine dealers, is available to boaters purchasing new, unregistered
outboards (2 to 225 hp) and inclusive boat, engine and trailer packages
between Feb. 4 and May 31. Consumers have the additional option of deferring
payments for 90 days, accruing no interest forthe first 60 days. Honda Marine,
a division of American Honda Motor Co., manufactures and markets outboard
marine engines. Honda says its full line of production models meets the
rigorous California Air Resources Board standards
Critical Habitat Designation Proposed for Threatened Elkhorn
and Staghorn Corals
NOAA Fisheries
seeking comments on its proposal to
designate critical habitat for elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (A.
cervicornis) corals,
which we listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Four specific
areas are proposed for designation: Florida, Puerto Rico & St. Croix.
For additional information
click here
Hurricane Symposium
to be held in Florida
Marina owners and yacht club managers
are invited to attend a two-day hurricane preparation symposium March 4th and
5th at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. It is intended to give
participants the tools they need to weather the next hurricane, minimize
damage and successfully recover. The symposium will help participants develop
and effective hurricane plan, learn preparation techniques, know their legal
rights for preparing boats and see exhibits of the latest in storm preparation
and damage mitigation products. Go to
http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/symposium
to register.
MarineMax posts bigger loss, cuts jobs
MarineMax’s losses
widened for its first quarter amid the soft real estate market and eroding
boat sales. The Clearwater, Fla. based boat retailer today reported a net loss
for the quarter of $6.4 million compared to a net loss of $3.8 million in the
comparable quarter a year ago. Revenue was $215.3 million for the first
quarter, compared with $234 million in the same quarter last year. Same-store
sales declined 9 percent, or $20 million, compared with a 14 percent increase
in the year-ago period. To view full story
click here.
National - Landmark Dolphin Agreement Reaches
10 Year Mark
The international
pact to save dolphins from being caught in tuna nets has reached its tenth
anniversary and is considered one of the most successful agreements in the
world governing the conservation and management of living marine resources. In
1998, the
Agreement on the
International Dolphin Conservation Program
was adopted by the United States, the European Union and 11 other counties in
response to concerns over the high number of dolphins killed in the Eastern
Pacific Ocean tuna purse-seine fishery. Under this program, and its
predecessor known as the La Jolla Agreement, dolphin deaths in the fishery
have decreased more than 99 percent from historic levels. The goal of the
agreement is to achieve zero dolphin deaths in the fishery.
Repeat winners dominate J.D. Power boat awards
MIAMI
BEACH — Bass Cat,
Cobalt, Correct Craft, Grady-White, Manitou, MasterCraft and Regal each rank
highest in new-boat owner satisfaction in their respective categories,
according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Boat Competitive Information
Study, released today at the Miami International Boat Show.
Now in its seventh year, the study examines the sales, service and product
experience of new-boat owners. Owner satisfaction with new boats is measured
in seven segments: ski/wakeboard; fiberglass bass boats; small runabouts (16
to 19 feet); large runabouts (20 to 29 feet); coastal fishing (17 to 30 feet);
pontoons; and express cruisers (24 to 33 feet).
Overall
customer satisfaction index scores are based on performance in eight factors:
cabin; engine; ride and handling; helm and instrument panel; design and
styling; sound system; water sports; and fishing.
Bass boats
Bass Cat ranks highest in the bass boat segment for a fourth consecutive year,
performing particularly well in each of the five factors that determine
overall satisfaction: ride and handling; fishing; design and styling; engine,
and helm and instrument panel. The company also receives the highest overall
index score in the study for a third consecutive year. Following Bass Cat in
the segment are Ranger and Triton, respectively.
Coastal fishing boats (17 to 30 feet)
For a seventh consecutive reporting year, Grady-White ranks highest in the
segment, performing particularly well in four of the six factors driving
overall satisfaction: fishing; ride and handling; design and styling; and helm
and instrument panel. Grady-White also has the fewest reported problems of any
manufacturer in the segment. Boston Whaler and Triton, respectively, follow
Grady-White in the segment rankings.
Express cruisers (24 to 33 feet)
Making steady improvement in the study for the past three years, Regal ranks
highest among express cruisers for a second consecutive year. Regal performs
particularly well in ride and handling, which is the greatest driver of
overall satisfaction, the study found. Sea Ray follows Regal in the express
cruiser segment rankings.
Small
runabouts (16 to 19 feet)
For a third consecutive year, Regal ranks highest in the small runabout
segment, performing particularly well in all six factors that drive overall
satisfaction: engine; water sports; design and styling; ride and handling;
helm and instrument panel; and sound system, the study found. Regal also has
the fewest reported problems
of any
manufacturer in the segment. Sea Ray and Chaparral, respectively, follow Regal
in the small runabout segment.
Large
runabouts (20 to 29 feet)
Cobalt ranks highest in the large runabout segment for a seventh consecutive
reporting year, performing particularly well in all six factors that drive
overall satisfaction. Cobalt owners report having the highest satisfaction
with the buying experience at a dealership and are also the most likely to say
they “definitely will” recommend and repurchase from their dealer, compared
with customers of other manufacturers in the large runabout segment. Regal
closely follows Cobalt while Four Winns ranks third in the segment.
Pontoons
Manitou ranks highest among pontoon manufacturers, performing particularly
well in ride and handling. Manitou is closely followed in the segment by
Bennington, while Harris FloteBote and Premier tie to rank third in the
segment.
Pontoons in particular have come a long way as far as advancements in features
and technologies,” said Todd Markusic, senior director of the powersports
practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Usage of technologies such as
satellite radio and MP3 players has steadily increased since 2006.
Additionally, the average horsepower of pontoons has increased steadily as
well. Pontoons are certainly reaching a new level of sophistication.”
Ski/wakeboard boats
Correct Craft and MasterCraft tie to rank highest in the ski/wakeboard
segment. The 2008 study also marks the sixth consecutive reporting year that
Correct Craft has received the highest ranking in the segment. MasterCraft is
the only brand in the ski/wakeboard segment to improve in overall satisfaction
since 2007, while Correct Craft performs particularly well in engine
satisfaction. Malibu follows Correct Craft and MasterCraft in the highly
competitive segment.
Mercury, PCM, Yamaha and Volvo Penta share top honors among
marine engine manufacturers
MIAMI BEACH
Mercury, PCM, Yamaha and Volvo Penta share top
honors among marine engine manufacturers, according to the J.D. Power and
Associates 2008 Marine Engine Competitive Information Study, released this
morning at the Miami International Boat Show.
Now in its seventh year, the study measures overall customer satisfaction with
four marine engine types: EFI inboard; 4-stroke EFI outboard; 2-stroke DI
outboard; and EFI sterndrive.
Overall customer satisfaction index scores are
based on performance across seven factors: starting ease; quietness at cruise;
reliability; fuel economy; shifting smoothness; lack of exhaust fumes; and
ability of boat to accelerate rapidly. The study also examines engine quality,
where scores are measured as problems per 100 (PP100) engines and a lower
score reflects higher quality.
Outboard DI 2-stroke
Mercury leads in the outboard direct injection 2-stroke segment for a third
consecutive year, with slight improvements in engine quality since the 2007
study. Evinrude closely follows Mercury in the segment.
Transmission issues and stalling are the most frequently reported problems
within the outboard DI two-stroke segment. However, two owner-reported
problems — major engine failure and engine runs rough — have the most negative
impact on overall satisfaction. Only 4 percent of owners experience either of
these two problems.
Outboard EFI 4-stroke
Yamaha ranks highest in the outboard electronically fuel injected 4-stroke
segment, performing particularly well in engine reliability. Yamaha is
followed closely by Honda and Suzuki, respectively.
Among all outboard technologies, 4-stroke EFI engines have a particularly low
number of reported problems (56 PP100). Among those owners who experience
problems, those involving engine transmission are the most frequently
reported.
Sterndrive EFI
Volvo Penta ranks highest in the sterndrive EFI segment, performing
particularly well in the engine’s ability to accelerate rapidly, fuel economy
and lack of exhaust fumes. MerCruiser closely follows Volvo Penta, receiving
particularly high ratings from owners for engine reliability.
More than 57 percent of EFI owners indicate their new engine is problem-free,
while only nine percent of owners report having three problems or more. The
two most frequently reported problems by EFI sterndrive owners are engine
transmission feels/sounds rough when shifting and issues with the engine
tilt/trim.
Inboard EFI segment
For a third consecutive year, Pleasurecraft Engine Group (PCM) ranks highest
in the inboard EFI 4-stroke engine segment, performing particularly well in
engine reliability. PCM is followed in the segment by Marine Power.
While inboard EFI engines have the highest quality (49 PP100) and satisfaction
ratings of all four engine segments, fuel economy continues to be a major
weakness.
Fuel economy is clearly the Achilles heel of inboard EFI engines when you
compare segment scores to those of the other engine categories, said Todd
Markusic, senior director of the power sports practice at J.D. Power and
Associates. Despite this shortcoming, inboard EFI engines have remarkable
quality and earn extremely high satisfaction scores. Those brands that can
find a way to improve the fuel economy of their engines would clearly have a
major competitive advantage.
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