Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pearl Basin is a pool of deeper water within the shallows located 3.6 miles northwest of Key West near Calda Channel in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge, located in what is locally known as the backcountry, is critical nesting, roosting and wading habitat for more than 250 bird species, including bald eagle, osprey, great white heron and egret. It also is nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles while its sea grass beds provide a nursery area for important marine life. President Theodore Roosevelt established the refuge in 1908 to curtail the slaughter of seabirds whose feathers were highly valued in the hat industry.

For decades, locals and visitors have been drawn to the refuge for a unique wilderness experience. Access is by boat only. Approved activities include snorkeling, diving, fishing and nature-oriented recreational uses such as wildlife observation, photography and environmental education. It's a place where nature enthusiasts can enjoy the solitude of virtually unspoiled surroundings.

Due to the refuge's increasing popularity, refuge managers are constantly dealing with the delicate balance between intrusions of human activities versus protecting the wildlife refuge for the reason it exists -- to be a refuge for wildlife. For example, to protect fragile nesting bird areas, water skiing and the operation of airboats and personal watercrafts are strictly prohibited in water refuge areas.

It wasn't long ago that bottlenose dolphin frequented the waters of Pearl Basin to frolic and entertain those who happened by. Not anymore. Dolphins left when watersports operators began intruding into the basin with floating docks, barges with kayaks, personal watercraft, floating rock-climbing walls, slides and water trampolines -- building, in essence, a floating water park.

Earlier this year, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection requested Key West operators of watersports and snorkel boats, including Sebago Watersports, Sunset Watersports, Fury Water Adventures and C & T Charters Inc., that may have placed such permanent structures on state submerged lands remove them daily. National wildlife refuge managers also warned personal watercraft tour operators about taking tours into the Key West and Great White Heron refuges.

Recently, Fury Water Adventures owner Scott Saunders asked the Key West City Commission to lease bay bottom in Pearl Basin, then charge companies user fees so they can leave their recreational equipment on the water, instead of having to bring it in every night.

The City Commission agreed to research the idea. We think this is a bad idea.

It's a slippery slope, or more appropriately, a slippery waterslide. We believe this is nothing more than a ruse to create a floating water park in the national refuge.

What might appear to be a goodwill gesture to business entities to not require them to bring in their equipment every night will indubitably have its unintended consequences. An ongoing anchorage will create a city of floating docks and platforms with kayaks, paddleboards, personal watercraft, floating rock-climbing walls, waterslides, water trampolines and parasailing -- all serviced by catamarans with capacities of more than 100 passengers complete with food and drink.

Demands for access from additional vendors will follow and so will antitrust suits from those believing they were left out.

Profiteering from our natural environment is nothing new. This veiled request for equipment storage is a blatant attempt to destructively intrude by injecting incompatible recreational activities into the wildlife refuge for profit, and nothing more. It should not be rewarded with a lease.

President Roosevelt wisely designated the area for wildlife -- of a certain kind. Let's keep it that way.

-- The Citizen