'Save Snapper Ledge!'

Snapper Ledge is a small, easy to dive, shallow dive site; that we in Key Largo favor because it is probably the most fishy dive site anywhere. Marine scientists have studied the site and cannot explain why there are so many fish on this site nor can they explain the diversity of the fish and aquautic life there. Because of the diversity and density of the fish-life there it is immensely popular as a dive site. Schools of grunts and goatfish are so thick you literally cannot see through them. It is home to nurse sharks, moray eels of different species, lobsters, squirrelfish, parrotfish, trumpetfish, both yellow and southern stingrays, all the macro creatures and an occasional gray shark or eagle ray visit Snapper Ledge.

It is not part of the Sanctuary Preservation Area program. Therefore, any and all activities, fishing, spearfishing, lobstering are legal to do at Snapper Ledge. Over the very few years that mankind has visited Snapper Ledge, word has spread about its existance and wealth of marine life there. In its early days, only a few knew of it, and only a few had its GPS numbers. Several years ago, a mooring ball was installed at Snapper Ledge and this made it easy for everyone to find Snapper Ledge and enjoy it.

However, this summer a tragic event occurred at Snapper Ledge. It was discovered by recreational scuba divers engaged in underwater photography. Someone had caught a small nurse shark and eviscerated it, and, released it back onto the reef, where it died a slow death over some days' time.

Word of this tragic event spread first among us local divers and then more regionally, and, there is now a movement on to try to get the authorities to add Snapper Ledge to the SPA program and make it a Sanctuary Preservation Area.

The movement has circulated an on-line petition and the link is above, embedded into my photograph of fish at Snapper Ledge and here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/snapledg/petition.html .

I've signed it. I believe over 2000 others have also signed it. I would urge you to sign it as well.

Snapper Ledge is a very rare phenomenon and it is my belief that we should do all we can to preserve it.