The beauty of sunsets in Florida Bay at Everglades National Park has grown a bit more expensive to enjoy/NPS
It just got a little bit more expensive to fish the waters of Florida Bay in Everglades National Park.
On Wednesday new fees took effect for motorists driving into the park and for anglers arriving in the bay by boat. Not only did the entrance fee for motorists go up $5 to $30 for a weeklong pass, but visitors entering through the park’s maritime boundary by boat, paddle craft or guided tour will be required to have an appropriate entrance pass.
Private vessels entering the park -- whether to fish or simply enjoy the setting -- will now pay fees consistent with motor vehicles, including the ability to use the annual pass which covers every passenger in a vehicle or vessel.
The fees are to be bumped up a bit more next January.
According to a story in the Florida Keys Free Press, the entrance fee, also referred to as a recreation fee, costs $15 per passenger aboard a commercial operator’s boat.
"Many boaters and virtually all the fishing guides (who have Commercial Use Authorization permits) are not happy," reporter Kevin Wadlow told the Traveler in an email Wednesday.
Back in December the new fee schedule was discussed during a meeting of the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association, and many of its members were not happy about the fees
“A lot of the guys are struggling. They were emotional,” Steve Friedman, association commodore, told the newspaper last month. “We feel fortunate to have a partnership with the park and want to help the park as much as possible. But we don’t want to be gouged and taken advantage of.”
Everglades Superintendent Pedro Ramos has defended the increases as a way to help park staff "keep the park in good condition both, from a natural resource perspective, as well as its facilities and assets for all visitors to enjoy."
Comments
The Increase is one of the main reasons I had to close my business in the park!!
BUT, who have you been voting for down through the years and have you been enjoying the nice tax cuts the party that backs the current administration has been giving you instead of allocating more funding to the parks?
Rump, what do the tax rate cuts have to do with park allocations?
if you use the park for commerical use, which i strongly appose, than pay for it's use as determed by the nps . i'm tried, as others are, hearing your hard luck stories about fees. its the 'peoples' resource and your derving a private income from a public asset. if don't like the fees than take your custom flats boats and suv's, and attitudes, and find another job.