Beach closures?

Did you know that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is considering designating four areas of Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, as "critical habitat" for wintering piping plover? This has the potential to close these four spots (South Point and the North End on Ocracoke) to ALL human activity (off road vehicles AND pedestrians) for most of the year (FWS has restated the critical habitat definition to indicate that the areas are crucial for both nesting (spring/summer) and wintering piping plovers.)

The closure areas would include any emergent sandbars in Hatteras, Ocracoke and Oregon inlets, which could affect ferry dredging and/or the construction of a new bridge at Oregon Inlet. If FWS is successful in their attempt, the identified areas could be closed to ALL human activity (ORV AND pedestrian) for the entire year.

In 2006, a lawsuit was brought against FWS, and the judge ruled that an economic analysis must be done. That analysis has now been completed (45 pages, released May 29), but is highly inaccurate and misleading (it was completed by a company in Massachusetts who did not contact any business owners on the Outer Banks).

I can see both sides of this issue (as usual!) On the one hand, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, of which Ocracoke is a part, is a national park, and was designated as such to ensure it would be available for people's use and enjoyment. On the other hand, the poor piping plovers don't stand a chance against man and all his big machines, and there certainly is a need to protect them.

I believe (as I do for most things) that there is a reasonable solution, and that consensus is possible. I'm not sure whether consensus will happen, but it is possible.

Regardless of your position, you can express your thoughts during the public comment period, which ends on Monday July 30. More information is available at the links below.

FWS site
Bullet Points by Larry Hardham, President of the Hatteras Angler's Club
Tradewinds Tackle Message Board