There are two decisions that have recently risen that will have significant impact on the adjacent waters of the Florida Keys.

The first of these is a decision already made. It is to dissolve the Monroe County Marine Resources Department by our county government. This is an unwise decision by itself, but has greater impact when influenced by the second decision.

Everglades National Park is in the process of revising its general management plan. Four alternatives have been put forth for public comment. All but Alternative A will require that those of us who use Florida Bay change their navigation and fishing methods.

Alternatives C and D will demand radical change. Even Alternative E — proposed by our own well-informed citizens committee — will require that we become more responsive to new regulations and boater education. I support Alternative E and hope it is the choice of the decision makers when the park’s general management plan is finalized.

One of the unintended consequences of Everglades National Park’s general management plan revision and the county’s decision to abolish Marine Resources will be the increased impact on our local waters.

Whichever alternative is chosen, as fishing and boating in the park begin to require more adherence to new navigational regulations and acceptance of an educational process, there are those who will choose not to subject themselves to the requirements. They will, instead, seek other shallow-water areas to fish.

The most convenient of these are the adjacent waters of the Florida Keys — the very waters our county governance has chosen to leave without the oversight of Marine Resources. At a time when the need for the department’s stewardship is greater than ever, it will not exist.

 I encourage all Keys citizens to contact the county commissioners and county administrator to demand that Marine Resources be reinstated.

Councilman Don Achenberg /Islamorada