HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — To the untrained eye, the Weeki Wachee River seems lovely, beautiful, and excellent.
However, look shut sufficient, and also you’ll spot indicators of injury that some consider are attributable to guests who might or might not know they’re harming the river.
The as soon as luscious banks alongside the river proceed to erode. Timber are being undermined, and eel grass on the river backside is being trampled.
WATCH: Sheriff defends division’s enforcement of ‘polarizing’ guidelines on Weeki Wachee River
Sheriff defends division’s enforcement of ‘polarizing’ guidelines on Weeki Wachee River
A 2020 research by the Southwest Florida Water Administration District reached the identical conclusion: human recreation impacts the river’s well being over time.
So, in summer season 2023, at Hernando County’s request, the state permitted new guidelines for the Weeki Wachee. A number of miles of the river had been deemed a Spring Safety Zone. Because of this, boaters and paddlers can not anchor their boats, tie them to bushes, and seaside them on the riverbanks.
Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis and his deputies have been imposing the foundations.
“It is a very polarizing problem. There will not be too many individuals which might be ambivalent about it,” he mentioned.
“Our fundamental concern is life-safety points before everything. That’s primary,” Nienhuis continued. “After which, in fact, we’re additionally involved in regards to the environmental affect.”
Based on the sheriff, a number of Hernando County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies work the river every day and implement the Spring Safety Zone guidelines.
Nonetheless, some lately questioned the enforcement due to newly launched numbers, which present simply six citations and 30 warnings had been written within the first 4 months of 2025.
In a Monday interview, the sheriff mentioned his deputies are attempting to strike a balanced method. Thus far, they’ve primarily issued verbal and written warnings as river recreationists — lots of them vacationers — study the brand new guidelines.
“Clearly, we go into the summer season months, and significantly, if we’ve folks which might be repeat offenders, then clearly, FWC and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Workplace will work collectively to verify these individuals are not flagrantly violating the regulation that they know is in place,” Nienhuis mentioned.
However how the foundations must be enforced, if in any respect, is one thing the neighborhood continues to be wrangling with, which was evidenced by a Monday night time assembly of the Hernando County Waterways Advisory Committee. The room was stuffed with differing opinions.
John Prout, who lives alongside the river and has constructed a following as “River Daddy” on TikTok, thinks the Hernando County Sheriff’s Workplace is already writing too many tickets.
“I don’t suppose there ought to’ve been even one written,” he mentioned.
Marousa Placiotis Rodriguez thinks deputies are doing a very good job as phrase will get out on the brand new guidelines.
WFTS
“It’s not going to be taught in a single day, so they’re doing their greatest,” she mentioned. “I’m watching them.”
She mentioned her crime watch group helps to coach the visitors to the river by reaching out to short-term leases and different strategies.
“It’s an academic factor,” she mentioned. “It’s important to begin there.”
Pam Napp, nevertheless, wish to see extra enforcement of the foundations sooner.
“If it’s a rental vessel, then go to that clothes shop and ask them, ‘Hey, might you please assist us, , implement this by educating folks?’” mentioned Napp, a stand-up paddleboard teacher who owns Weeki SUP, an eco-tour clothes shop on the river.
Napp mentioned she stands by the Spring Safety Zone and its goal.
“It doesn’t wreck your enjoyable one iota,” she mentioned. “The truth is, it makes it higher, as a result of we’re going to have a extra lovely river sooner or later.”
A deputy who spoke on the committee assembly mentioned deputies imposing the Spring Safety Zone guidelines face sure limitations and issues.
Since many kayakers and swimmers don’t convey their wallets, it may be laborious to quote violators. Jet skis utilized by deputies will not be outfitted with computer systems, which additionally complicates enforcement.
He mentioned the foundations themselves are additionally ambiguous in some areas.
Although imposing the foundations could also be an advanced stability to strike, Sheriff Nienhuis mentioned his marine deputies will use their widespread sense as greatest as attainable.
“I feel my deputies get very, superb at utilizing good widespread sense, however there are at all times going to be folks on each side that suppose we must always both do kind of,” he mentioned.
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