Kayak Fishing: State Parks in Danger

Happy Monday Spacefish!

So this week, my “report” is a little different. Instead of breaking down a specific spot, I am going to talk about an issue that arose over the past week. It is an issue that as a Florida Kayak Angler concerns me on a deep level – it is the recent proposal by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to alter some of Florida’s most iconic State Parks. This past winter I was able to travel south to Jonathon Dickinson State Park, and fish for different subspecies of Snook on a truly wild, brackish river – the Loxahatchee. It was a magical experience where I traveled a stretch of the river where Mangroves gave way to Cypress, and for a few hours I was lost in a spell of enchantment in an area of Florida that has yet to be bulldozed and developed. That is why I chose the picture for the cover, because this is one of the proposed state parks to be altered. So without futher ado, let’s dive in.

So What is the Issue?

Last week the FL DEP announced they were planning to build resorts, golf courses, pickleball courses, glamping facilities, and disc golf courses on eight state parks. I do not have a singular issue with any of those activities…but Florida is already home to countless numbers of golf courses, pickleball courts, and disc golf courses. Why do they need to build them on pristine state park lands? Here is a brief summary of the proposals:

Jonathan Dickinson State Park – Two 18-hole gold courses, one 9-hole golf course, removal of Hobe Mountain Observation Tower, total area of renovation over 1000 acres.

Anastasia State Park – Park lodge of up to 350 rooms built in maritime hammock, a disc golf course built in maritime hammock, pickleball courts built in maritime hammock.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park – Park lodge of up to 350 rooms, disc golf course built in the scrub flatwoods south of the cabin area, pickleball courts

Grayton Beach State Park – 10 new cabins, disc golf course, pickleball courts

Camp Helen State Park – New cabins and/or “glamping” sites located at the northern end of the park on Lake Howell, within the coastal scrub

Hillsborough River State Park – Disc golf course, pickleball courts

Honeymoon Island State Park – Pickleball courts

Dr. Von Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park – Pickleball courts

Oleta River State Park – Disc golf course, pickleball courts

Why should we care?

So first off I think we have to ask what the purpose of state parks should be. According to the National Recreation and Park Association it is in “preserving natural resources and wildlife habitats, protecting clean water and clean air, and providing open space for current and future generations.” Secondly, let’s ask how are state parks funded. According to the Property and Environment Research Center, they are funded by “government appropriations and user fees.” User fees are the admissions fees paid to enter the parks, and government appropriations are a fancy way of saying taxes. So Florida taxpayers have been paying for state parks whose purpose is to preserve clean water amongst other things. I am confused how building multiple golf courses next to the Loxahatchee River, one of America’s wild and scenic rivers fits in to that role and purpose.

As a kayak angler, and I like to think Florida anglers in general can all agree that our waters and our fisheries have dealt with enough human development. We have certain places that have been protected, and those are areas typically are much better places to fish – not just in water quality, and in the quality and quantity of fish that can be caught there, but also, in the scenery, in the aesthetic, in the habitats and wildlife that all factor into the experience of fishing in places that still seem like you are in wild, old Florida.

My other concern is if this proposal goes forward, and these eight state parks are altered, what kind of precedent will it set? Will there be a luxury resort built along Sebastian Inlet State Park or Indian River Lagoon State Park? Will they bulldoze mangroves and important nursery habitat for juvenile Snook, Tarpon, Redfish, and Sea Trout? What about a golf course along the banks of St. Sebastian Preserve State Park? Will toxic fertilizer and runoff to keep fairways green wash down into the river that serves as one of our top Tarpon fisheries? I have only fished one of the proposed eight state parks on the list; but there are so many on the list that I haven’t mentioned above that I fear for… Tomoka, Lake Kissimmee, Silver Springs, just to name a few. Some of Florida’s most beautiful places, some of its best water are found in areas that are protected under their state park status. If they are allowed to do this to Jonathon Dickinson or Oleta River, then what will stop them from doing it to other cherished State Parks?

What can we do?

So when this was first announced last week, there were a series of meetings to be held to voice concerns. It honestly felt like a plot from a Carl Hiassen novel the way it played out. All of these meetings were to be held on Tuesday – six days after the initial announcement. Opposition to the proposals was loud, and it happened quickly. In the wake of social media outrage exploding late last week, the FL DEP posted this tweet announcing they were pushing the meeting dates back. The announcement made via X (formerly known as twitter) is pictured below.

If you are inclined to take action I suggest following the FL DEP on social media, as well as advocacy groups like the Florida Wildlife Federation.

To voice your concerns, you can send an email directly to the Governor, the Secretary of FDEP, and your state representatives. For more information on how to do this, visit the Florida Wildlife Federation website to sign the petition at this link – https://floridawildlifefederation.org/action-state-parks-threat/?

Conclusion

If you are disappointed that I did not give an actual fishing report, I apologize. But what happened last week shook me up a bit. It already feels like we are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to protecting Florida’s waterways, and fisheries. If state parks become prime development grounds for resorts, golf courses, pickleball courts, and disc golf – then I fear that we will be saying goodbye to many special kayak fishing places – I believe we owe it to our kids, our grandkids, the water, the fish, mother nature, and to ourselves to voice our concerns to our politicians and the state department of environmental protection to make sure that our parks stay wild, and that the protect and conserve the small pieces of Florida that have remained wild, and beautiful. May they stay that way forever.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rantings, and thank you to Kayaks By Bo for being our paddle partner. Whether you are looking for a new kayak, Yak Attack accessories, or Fish Skinz apparel; Kayaks By Bo has you covered! Check out their new location in Cocoa.

Until next time!