OFF THE FLORIDA KEYS (AFX) - Rich Russell's idea of how to curtail the rising popularity -- and in some locals' eyes, the inconvenience -- of the frantic lobster mini-season seems simple enough.
'As a trapper and a longtime resident, I'd probably like to see it over with,' Russell said Wednesday on his boat off Islamorada in the Florida Keys. He wouldn't mind if it were only for locals in Monroe County, and not tourists.
Russell and hundreds of others were out on the water Wednesday, the first day of the mini-season where recreational divers can hunt legal-sized spiny lobsters before the commercial season. Boats hoisting red-and-white dive flags dotted the waters off the Keys, with eager visitors seeking the tasty crustaceans before the mini-season ends Thursday.
The mini-season once was a well-kept secret, but today it draws thousands to the Keys, the narrow island chain known for its warm and bountiful waters. The season brings millions of dollars to the Keys, which calls the tourism industry its biggest money maker.
'It's popular because the Florida Keys are beautiful and the idea of being able to catch your own lobster and the ability to prepare something fresh that you caught yourself is appealing,' said Ursula Boll, vice president of sales and marketing for Hawk's Cay Resort and Marina.
But all the fun has a price. Keys residents have complained that it's too crowded, limits the amount of available lobsters, clogs dock space and creates more trash. Lines are longer at restaurants and gas stations as hotels and motels attract rowdy tourists in droves. And the increased number of boaters put the area's fragile resources in more peril, as some ignore or fail to learn rules that protect the unique environment.
'In the past we've had some really tough times with people who don't follow the rules,' said Don Zinner, who owns the 10-room Lookout Lodge Resort on Islamorada. 'Those of us who live here want to keep this environment for our kids. We love it here and we want to share it with everybody but there's a balance.'
While tourism officials acknowledge the obvious benefits, they also are wary of locals' complaints. Harold Wheeler, director of the Keys' tourist development council, said his group does not actively promote mini-season 'mainly because of the controversy.'
The season also puts a strain on law enforcement. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Bobby Dube was one of several officers who patrolled the Keys on Wednesday by boat, seeking rulebreakers who may have illegally sized lobsters or an improperly displayed dive flag.
Dube said 20 additional commission officers were called in to help handle the increased amount of boaters. Some problems were reported Wednesday, including two drownings and a handful of boat accidents with injuries.
Dube approaches boats and measures lobsters to make sure they are legal, and checks to make sure that the boat's safety equipment is in order. He stresses safety, but also wants to stay out of the way of a good time.
'I'm not looking to hard-time anybody,' Dube said. 'I'm looking for people who are purposely violating the laws.'
Licensed divers in the Keys are allowed to take six legal-sized lobsters per person, per day. The lobster's length has to be more than 3 inches from the top of the head to the start of the tail for divers to be able to legally take it.
There are several restrictions on where people can dive. For example, no harvesting is allowed in Everglades National Park or 300 feet off developed shorelines. The rules help protect young lobsters and preserve them for future years.
Some divers poke along mangrove islands, while others drag a snorkeler in shallow waters behind a slow moving boat. There are also scuba divers who can dive deeper that the average snorkeler.
Dube parked next to Rob Zdanowicz's boat Wednesday to check out his license and freshly caught lobster. Zdanowicz, 51, was with four other people who had come down from Boca Raton to take a vacation. Zdanowicz, a veteran of the mini-season, has noticed it get much busier in the Keys. He didn't mind getting stopped by Dube.
'They've got a job to do,' Zdanowicz said. 'There are people taking short lobsters. There would be chaos without (strict law enforcement).'
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© 2006 AFX News
