As Florida wildlife officials grapple with how to reduce the amount of seabirds becoming entangled in fishing gear at the busy Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, new rules proposed Wednesday night attempt to find a middle ground between anglers and bird advocates who, for months, have disagreed on a solution.
Erika Burgess, a Florida wildlife section leader, wasted no time addressing the differences in opinion at the start of the virtual Skyway Pier discussion.
“Most everyone that’s joining us tonight feels passionately about this topic, but not everyone sees eye-to-eye,” Burgess told the audience of about 120 people, including anglers, environmentalists and state employees. “That makes this a very challenging and contentious issue.”
