Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Islamorada Backcountry Boat Ramps Harder to Find
While the fate of Islamorada's deep-sea fishing fleet continues to dominate headlines, waterfront access for the village's backcountry fishing fleet is quietly slipping away.
The Lorelei Cabana Bar, traditionally a center of Islamorada backcountry fishing activity, has reduced the number of captains that can launch from its ramps each day from 100 to 30. Smugglers Cove has closed its boat ramp to the public, and did not include backcountry slips in its plan to build a floating dock for as many as 20 deep-sea fishing charters.
Backcountry guides will lose even more slips when Holiday Isle and La Siesta Marina are redeveloped. Holiday Isle said it will preserve some deep-sea fishing charter slips, but none of the 15 backcountry slips, and La Siesta said it will close its daily public launch.
Two other properties have come under the ownership of Watermark Marinas, which said it will make slips available for both deep-sea and backcountry fishermen, but has not decided what to do about its ramp access, according to Michael Shanley, vice president of East Coast operations.
A new plan to give 50 backcountry fishermen access to the Founders Park boat ramp has its supporters, but they warn it would be but a small step toward maintaining water access for the village's estimated 150 guides.
Under the plan, approved guides could use the Founders Park ramp between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. rather than restrict them to the ramp's normal hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guides would be required to carry $1 million in commercial insurance coverage. They would not be allowed to make bookings or advertise on park premises. Parking would be restricted to limited areas.
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The Lorelei Cabana Bar, traditionally a center of Islamorada backcountry fishing activity, has reduced the number of captains that can launch from its ramps each day from 100 to 30. Smugglers Cove has closed its boat ramp to the public, and did not include backcountry slips in its plan to build a floating dock for as many as 20 deep-sea fishing charters.
Backcountry guides will lose even more slips when Holiday Isle and La Siesta Marina are redeveloped. Holiday Isle said it will preserve some deep-sea fishing charter slips, but none of the 15 backcountry slips, and La Siesta said it will close its daily public launch.
Two other properties have come under the ownership of Watermark Marinas, which said it will make slips available for both deep-sea and backcountry fishermen, but has not decided what to do about its ramp access, according to Michael Shanley, vice president of East Coast operations.
A new plan to give 50 backcountry fishermen access to the Founders Park boat ramp has its supporters, but they warn it would be but a small step toward maintaining water access for the village's estimated 150 guides.
Under the plan, approved guides could use the Founders Park ramp between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. rather than restrict them to the ramp's normal hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guides would be required to carry $1 million in commercial insurance coverage. They would not be allowed to make bookings or advertise on park premises. Parking would be restricted to limited areas.
Click here to Read the Complete Story
