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June 23rd, 2011

Editorial: Guest Editorial: Never Forget
May 5th, 2011

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April 23rd, 2011

Editorial: Editorial: Rumors
March 20th, 2011

Editorial: Editorial: Henry Ford, American Genius
January 21st, 2011

Editorial: Editorial: Remember the Needy in Our Community
December 26th, 2010

Editorial: Guest Editorial: Prunes
November 16th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: How Many Signs Can One Building Support?
November 15th, 2010

Editorial: Accidents Happen? The Dance Begins
September 16th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Oil Spills vs. Hurricanes
September 2nd, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Fishing Village Atmosphere?
August 22nd, 2010

Editorial: A New Standard of Arrogance
July 29th, 2010

Editorial: Alzheimer`s Sentence
July 24th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: When the Elephants Stampede, the Pygmies Get Trampled
June 10th, 2010

Editorial: Oil Spills and Independence
May 26th, 2010

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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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