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Editorial: Sign Thefts - Fear of the Opposition?
October 14th, 2004

Editorial: Police Arrested a Person
October 7th, 2004

Editorial: Korean Cloud on the Horizon
September 14th, 2004

Editorial: Moratorium Battle Heats Up
August 30th, 2004

Editorial: Orders From the Top
August 12th, 2004

Editorial: On the Value of Art
July 14th, 2004

Editorial: Of Voles and Men
June 24th, 2004

Editorial: Clam Poaching, are We Number One?
June 4th, 2004

Editorial: Leadership Overcomes Flawed Process in Missile Range Decision
May 10th, 2004

Editorial: Bomb Range Inn
April 25th, 2004

Editorial: Is the President Above the Law?
April 8th, 2004

Editorial: The "Good Old Days"
March 15th, 2004

Editorial: Access to Public Records
March 1st, 2004

Editorial: Sunset Park: A Reality?
February 23rd, 2004

Editorial: The "Tree Ordinance"
February 9th, 2004

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Orders From the Top

Orders From the Top

Editorial

A recent press release by the top dog in the Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Charles Bronson, said that he had ordered the arrest of two young Cedar Key men for stealing clams. It is about time! After many reports of clam poaching and thefts of clam seed, and a formal request from the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association, Commissioner Bronson assigned an investigator to the poaching problem. That was about two years ago.


The press release mentioned the difficulty in catching poachers. Yet for nearly two years promises that the, Division of Agriculture Law Enforcement would have a boat for its investigator have not been fulfilled. The most recent promise was that there would be a boat by July 1, presumably in the year 2004. The most recent report is that a boat is being built. If Noah had been this slow....


The press release mentioned theft of clams worth more than $40,000. In Cedar Key; that is big money. Furthermore, stolen clams are no doubt sold below the market price. That undercuts the price of legitimate and properly processed clams sold by clam farmers. The victims of clam poaching suffer serious economic damage. So does every clam farmer that must compete with cheap stolen clams.


The $2500 reward for information leading to arrests for poaching is not enough. Let`s hope that Commissioner Bronson will devote enough resources, personnel and boats to severely reduce clam poaching.

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