| Letter: Illegal activities in parks |
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| Written by Alex Watts | |||
| Thursday, 28 July 2011 09:12 | |||
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It is with much interest and sadness at the same time that I read your article (“Conch being taken illegal from parks,” July 21, 2011). Sad as it is, being a frequent visitor to the areas shown on your map, I do witness more and more illegal activities taking place. For instance, jet skis regularly enter and tour the restricted areas. The fine for using such a craft in the marine parks is $50,000 plus confiscation of the jet ski. It definitely does not seem to deter these people. Many tour boats visit the Half Moon Bay area daily. It seems that very little is done to educate the tourists that this is a protected area where certain rules apply. I see hordes of people trampling over areas where iguana dens are located while they could easily, if told, use the several paths crossing that same area. I even saw recently a kid who was trying to hit an iguana with a long branch he had found on the beach! Also, there are still people arriving on Half Moon Bay with their dogs that they let run freely in the park area. If the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources lacks the resources, they could certainly pay a visit to the various operators and educate their guides as to what is acceptable and not. They could also tell the boat operators that sailing a tour boat at full speed 60 feet from the shore along Pelican Beach is dangerous and that within 150 yards from the shore, a boat’s speed should be reduced below 5 knots. These are simple and cheap temporary remedies which could help. If nothing is done at this stage, try and imagine what could happen in a few years when more tourists visit these islands. It will then be very difficult to control and probably too late. We welcome letters from our readers. Letters must include the writer’s name, address, e-mail and a telephone number for verification purposes. Only name and hometown will be printed. Pen names are not allowed, and anonymous letters will not be published. Publication is discretionary. All letters are subject to editing for length (500 words), clarity, grammar, libel and good taste. Letters associated with an organized effort involving candidates or causes will not be published. Letters should be e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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