Federal Sawfish Plan Concerns Water-Based Businesses

January 15, 2009

Release from: MSNBC

CAPE CORAL: The public is invited to sound off Wednesday night on a federal plan to declare critical habitat for the endangered small tooth sawfish in Southwest Florida.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has identified the Charlotte Harbor estuary and Ten Thousand Islands area as critical habitat for young small tooth sawfish.

Once officially designated, any impact to it would require special permission from the fisheries service.

That could affect business owners like Mike McCartney, who owns American Marine Construction.

"We want them to look at very specific areas and then regulate those areas rather than just broad-brushing everything," said McCartney, who builds docks and oversees dredging projects.

Frank Hommema, owner of Fishin' Franks bait and tackle shop in Charlotte Harbor, said he noticed fewer sawfish ever since a 1994 flood interrupted the harbor's delicate ecosystem.

"The primary problem with the sawfish is the habitat loss," Hommema said. "And it's not due to boaters or fishermen."

The sawfish meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hampton Inn in Downtown Cape Coral.