Spyglass on
Gray's Reef
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SPEARBOARD. www.spearboard.com
Gray's Reef is a
National Marine Sanctuary located 17 miles offshore from Sapello Island,
GA. - There
is currently a proposal to ban recreational spearfishing and lobstering in the Gray's Reef
National Marine Sanctuary. This proposal
appears to be based on hearsay evidence and questionable scientific studies.
Their site:
www.graysreef.nos.noaa.gov/
Their
position: Diving
and spearfishing are more harmful to the reef community than fishing. Their
Proposal: Prohibit
divers from taking by hand "any marine organism, or any art thereof, living
or dead. " Remove spearguns from the allowable gear list. Our
thoughts: There has been
no scientific evidence offered to justify the denial of diving and spearfishing
rights in the sanctuary. Diving and spearfishing are not causing harm to
the reef. Education of divers on the importance of reef conservation
would, we feel, result in a healthier reef that CAN STILL BE ENJOYED BY MANY
PUBLIC SECTORS. A
speargun is a tackle choice. It is individual, attended effort gear.
Where fishing is allowed, spearfishing must
be allowed. SPEARGUN
= ROD & REEL EDUCATION
BEFORE REGULATION
Who to contact?
Send comments to the following people: GRAY'S
REEF STAFF (Remember, you pay their salaries).
Grays
Reef Sanctuary Advisory Council (Shown Below). The
South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council The
National Marine Fisheries Service
- Mr. Henry Ansley, Georgia Department of
Natural
- Resources, Marine Fisheries Section
Representative
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources
- Coastal Resources Division
- Marine Fisheries Section
- One Conservation Way
- Brunswick, GA 31523
- 912/264-7218-office
- henry_ansley@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us
|
- LCDR David A. Cinalli, U.S. Coast Guard
- Representative, Ex-Officio
- Chief, Fisheries Section
- Commander (OLE)
- Seventh Coast Guard District
- Brickell Plaza Federal Bldg.
- 909 SE 1st Avenue
- Miami, FL 33131-3050
- 305/415-6778-office
- dcinalli@d7.uscg.mil
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Ms. Anne Lindsay Frick,
K-12 Education Representative
- University of Georgia
- Marine Education Center and Aquarium
- 30 Ocean Science Circle
- Savannah, GA 31411
- 598-2355-office
- lindsaya@arches.uga.edu
|
- Dr. Matt Gilligan, CHAIR & University
Education Representative
- Marine Sciences Program
- Savannah State University
- P.O. Box 20325
- Savannah, GA 31404
- 356-2809-office
- gillganm@savstate.edu
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- Dr. Jim Henry, Non-living Resources
- Research Representative
- Director
- Georgia Southern University
- Applied Coastal Research Laboratory
- 10 Ocean Science Circle
- Savannah, GA 31411
- 598-2463-office
- henry@skio.peachnet.edu
|
- Dr. Joe Kimmel, National Marine Fisheries
- Service Representative, Ex-Officio
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Southeast Regional Office
- 9721 Executive Center Drive, N
- St. Petersburg, FL 33702
- 727/570-5305-office
- joe.kimmel@noaa.gov
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- Ms. Patty McIntosh, SECRETARY & Georgia
- Conservation Representative
- Director of Coastal Programs
- The Georgia Conservancy
- 428 Bull Street
- Savannah, GA 31401
- 447-5910-office
- pmcintos@bellsouth.net
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- Mr. Bing Phillips, Sport Fishing
Representative
- Coastal Conservation Assoc. of Georgia
- P.O. Box 2003
- Statesboro, GA 30459
- 912/764-6567-office
- ringo@bulloch.com
|
- Dr. Doug Rader, Regional Conservation
Representative
- Senior Scientist
- Environmental Defense
- 2500 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 330
- Raleigh, NC 27607
- 919/881-2601-office
- Doug_Rader@environmentaldefense.org
|
- Dr. George Sedberry, Vice Chair-Living
Resources
- Research Representative
- Marine Resources Research Institute
- SC Dept. of Natural Resources
- P.O. Box 12559, 217 Ft. Johnson Road
- Charleston, SC 29422
- 843/762-5045-office
- sedberryg@mrd.dnr.state.sc.us
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- Ms. Judy Wright, Sport Diving
Representative
- Island Dive Center
- 101 Marina Drive
- St. Simons Island, GA 31522
- 912/638-6590-office
- dive@thebest.net
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