Harris Chain Weed Control Meeting

[rocknemo]

Management should be nowhere in their name!

[B-47]

Applied Aquatic Management, as well as others, have had Adam Putman in their back pocket for years. They call it campaign contributions, but I call it campaign payoffs for favors. I lobbied politicians back in the 1950's and 60's, never got any results because I (we---family) didn't have any money to donate to their causes. I have never met a honest politician and doubt I ever will.

[Manatee Mauler]

These politicians, are they supposed to list all contributions for the general public to view? If so, do they have to show who or where these "donated funds" came from if used for election purposes?

[TampaJim]

These politicians, are they supposed to list all contributions for the general public to view? If so, do they have to show who or where these "donated funds" came from if used for election purposes?

Only if it's a direct contribution, most of the $$ nowadays isn't managed in that way.
We can thank the SCOTUS for that little issue - PACs are able to hide every detail.
Until lobbying is illegal in the USA, expect it to become worse not better.
We live in a plutocracy, not a republic. One dollar = One vote. End of story, very sad.

[bass_prodigy75]

So the main objective for the majority of aquatic weed control in Florida is basically a big inside job to pad any and everyone's pocket involved and destroy a multi-million dollar fishing and tourism industry?

[TampaJim]

So the main objective for the majority of aquatic weed control in Florida is basically a big inside job to pad any and everyone's pocket involved and destroy a multi-million dollar fishing and tourism industry?

Ah ... there's the rub. Tourism is just fine, they benefit from spraying. Lakes are clear of vegetation, completely navigable, good for jet skis, pontoon boats, water skiing, power boating, etc. It's only a bust for the fishery and that's a micro-speck on the overall government revenue.

[BassCatBrad]

Ah ... there's the rub. Tourism is just fine, they benefit from spraying. Lakes are clear of vegetation, completely navigable, good for jet skis, pontoon boats, water skiing, power boating, etc. It's only a bust for the fishery and that's a micro-speck on the overall government revenue.

Water might be easier to navigate, but looks like diarrhea...litterally... After a round of spraying. So then the uninformed bitch about dirty water and the toursts have that lasting memory of the crappy looking Florida lake waters.
I love how the various aquatic weed killer companies and FWC use the term controlled spraying. Their definition of controlled spraying is nuke every last weed, tree or cover in sight. It seems to be they have a competition on who can spray the most poison and who and devastate the most green stuff in the water.

If it was only truely controlled. We would see only the topped out areas sprayed and only see sections on a lake sprayed. Or Creek mouths or navigation routes maintained. But I know that is pipe dream.

[Whiteboat]

Only if it's a direct contribution, most of the $$ nowadays isn't managed in that way.
We can thank the SCOTUS for that little issue - PACs are able to hide every detail.
Until lobbying is illegal in the USA, expect it to become worse not better.
We live in a plutocracy, not a republic. One dollar = One vote. End of story, very sad.

This is why I try to never vote for an incumbent.

[bass_prodigy75]

Has the economic revenue generated by freshwater fishing consistently declined? Excluding last year, the hurricane did a number on some of the fisheries and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a drop in Florida fishing industry due to that

Ah ... there's the rub. Tourism is just fine, they benefit from spraying. Lakes are clear of vegetation, completely navigable, good for jet skis, pontoon boats, water skiing, power boating, etc. It's only a bust for the fishery and that's a micro-speck on the overall government revenue.