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To the editor:
Just 10 years ago our canal in Fort Myers had schools of mullet, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper. Mullet fishermen used to come with their boats and nets and haul up lots of mullet. Nice-sized redfish were common, and I once hooked, but did not catch, a tarpon. These were all exciting moments that I will never forget. But these moments are now rare, and I can only imagine how wonderful the waters used to be 30 or more years ago.
As quoted in the Feb. 16 Views section of the regional daily, "The Spanish called the land La Florida for it lush landscape...The natural environment (was) a unique example of the magic to be found in the New World."
The current dismal state of our waters was also described earlier in the same Views section by John Cassani in his article "Mismanagement Destroying Florida's Coastal waters." The title pretty much tells it all.
Despite high levels of public money spent on restoration of waters, without proper regulation and enforcement, it is not money well-spent. His conclusion: the Florida Right to Clean Water petition "may be the only hope for meaningful reform." If you go to https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition, you can print out a pre-filled petition that only needs your signature and mailing. You can then become part of the solution. Please help us make our waters better.
Mary Tracy Sigman
Fort Myers