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Editorial: Editorial: Cedar Key News Annual Meeting March 29
March 8th, 2008

Editorial: Let School Board Know What Should Be Taught
February 15th, 2008

Editorial: What Is a Fair Tax?
February 4th, 2008

Editorial: Inconsistent Appraisals Harm Taxpayers
December 17th, 2007

Editorial: Energy Crisis?
November 30th, 2007

Editorial: Florida Water War Heat Up
October 16th, 2007

Editorial: Nobel Prizes in Medicine
October 5th, 2007

Editorial: Editorial: Same Rules for Everyone
September 22nd, 2007

Editorial: Demand Action on Bridge Repair
August 8th, 2007

Editorial: Local Response Needed to Stem Clam Poaching
July 24th, 2007

Editorial: Money, Money, Money...Votes
July 9th, 2007

Editorial: We Celebrate Independence and Clams
June 26th, 2007

Editorial: Are You Ready for Hurricane Season?
June 12th, 2007

Editorial: The Sources of Progress in Medicine
May 30th, 2007

Editorial: A New Era of Politics and Religion
May 17th, 2007

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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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