This is a bulletin from Eric Dybing, President of Florida Open Water Society. Food for thought.

"The 2006 state law restricting municipalities from limiting anchoring on state waters is under attack in the 2009 legislative session. Since the 2006 law was passed cities have continued to enforce local restrictions in direct violation of State Law.  As result legal action was taken with a few of the municipalities and they lost these cases.

The same Municipalities are behind House Bill 1423. This bill has language that will return control over State Waters back to the same Municipalities that have refused to comply with State Law. The bill would allow Municipalities to create no boating zones by city ordinance. In addition it puts into place a series of test cities that if approved, would have the authority to enact Anchoring ordinances if they had a "test" mooring field in place. The bill leaves all the details and rules to be worked out later.

As an example, South Florida has lost two thousand boat slips to development over the past 24 months. On-water storage needs to be the future of Florida. "Test" mooring fields that are designed to enable the municipalities to restrict anchoring are not the answer. A statewide system of not-for-profit mooring fields is the answer.

Florida is quickly gaining the reputation as the most boater-unfriendly state on the eastern seaboard. Florida's $18.4 billion marine industry is at risk. In these economic times, the last thing the state needs is to damage an industry of this magnitude.

All boaters need to band together and deliver the Florida legislature a message "remove these economically devastating anchoring restrictions from H.B. 1423" To learn more or join the fight visit Floridaopenwatersociety.org “