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Little Cockroach Bay plans are called unacceptable

By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: June 29, 2009

RUSKIN - Three government agencies have given the thumbs-down to five options for a pole or troll zone in Little Cockroach Bay.

All five options would require either a shrinking of an existing manatee protection area or faster speeds through portions of the slow-speed zone, set up to protect the slow-moving endangered sea mammals from boat propellers.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service all called exceptions to manatee protection unacceptable.

The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission will likely proceed with a modified plan, with every effort being made to limit boat propellers in the area by year's end.

Little Cockroach Bay is a portion of Tampa Bay that runs from Ruskin to the Manatee County line. Seagrass beds there, important to the bay's health, have been severely scarred by propellers.

Tom Ash of the EPC will present the government assessments Tuesday to a committee of boaters, environmentalists and government officials that has worked for more than a year to configure a pole or troll zone acceptable to all stakeholders.

Because those agencies have jurisdiction when it comes to manatee protection, trying to usurp state and federal rules could be moot.

"We have to do something," said Ash, and that may mean moving ahead with a pole or troll designation despite protests from commercial guides who feel they would be unduly restricted.

But with lack of enforcement in the area, the whole process may just be a waste of time, said commercial fishing guide Danny Guarino, of Ruskin, who has chaired the committee.

He endorses the option that allows limited access points for boaters to use motors to get into Little Cockroach Bay. "You will only get better compliance if you make it palatable to boaters," he said.

Gus Muench, a Ruskin crabber who favors limiting all motor-boat traffic through the area, said he is pleased the county will likely proceed without including fast-track boater access points.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the SouthShore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin.

Keyword: Troll, to view a file showing all five options for the pole or troll zone.

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