By Ed Schroeder, Treasure Quest Magazine, Fall 1995 issue
Several weeks ago I received a call from a reporter who was writing an article on Mel Fisher. I agreed to the interview and spent about an hour on the phone answering questions. When the interview was over it struck me just what an incredible adventure Mel's life has been. Perhaps a better choice of words would be courageous. How many other people would have the courage to put everything on the line, risk it all, to chase a dream? Mel has had to fight the fight over and over again. He had to fight to get funding for his project. Then after finding the Atocha and losing a son in the process, he had to fight the government to keep the treasure. Once this fight was won, the government has returned with a vengeance and seeks to control all activities in the Florida Keys. Mel and the residents of the Keys must fight again just to be able to do the things that they have been doing for years, fishing, diving, salvage and other water related activities. If I had to bet on who will win this fight, I would put it all on Mel and the residence of the Florida Keys.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
What the National Ocean and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) has sought to do in the Florida Keys would shock most Americans. NOAA has decided to declare the Keys a national marine sanctuary. This was done with virtually no input from the residences and what input that was received was ignored. By declaring the area a sanctuary, NOAA will have total control over all activities that can take place in the waters of the Keys. For all practical purposes NOAA is annexing the Keys and declaring themselves ruler. If this was done in suburban Washington, New York or Los Angeles, this would be front page news. Because it has happened rather quietly in the Keys it has received virtually no national coverage.
Imagine for a moment that you wake up tomorrow morning and the area where you live has been declared a sanctuary. You would be required to get a permit for your car and only use it in designated areas and at appointed times. You would have to get a permit to use your lawn mower and have it inspected. You would need a permit to trim your trees and maintain your house. Your children may or may not be allowed to play on your lawn. You would be subject to search and seizure with out due process.
The basic tenants that this country was built on have been ignored and swept aside. "We the people," has been replaced by a small number who have ordained themselves as the ones who think they know what is best for the majority. It seems this small group of government bureaucrat's is determined to force their will on the majority of the people, regardless of what the majority thinks. Some where along the way things have been confused. The government exists to serve the people, to carry out the will of the people, not to dictate or force their wills on the people. If you are as outraged by these actions as we are, you don't have to sit on the side lines and just watch, two groups are fighting back. Please contact them and get involved, a small contribution goes a long way to assist them in what has become a fight to save their livelihoods.