Wow, it would be to see the credible basis for some of these claims.
"But it has also whipped up concern among some fishing guides, who say the kiteboarders are damaging the flats, scaring away the fish and distracting beachgoers with ill-controlled falling kites."
Look at all the turbidity, likely related to disruption of the sand profile through maintenance dredging and denuding of bottom cover on the Florida Bay side. Other turbidity happens with each passing boat of draft at susceptible tides. Kiters don't need maintenance dredging, who does? Fishermen among others.
Those numerous channels on the Straits side, each one denudes bottom cover and allows further destruction through boat props, the scars are notable and numerous. I would think Brad has some nice aerial photos from over the years of linear sand strips ripped free of turtle grass by boats "feeling bottom." These channels, meander and thereby take out even more bottom cover over time.
How about all the people that anchor on the sand bar and walk all over the flats? Lots of disturbance and destruction there.
Disturb fish? Kiters do this more than raging waverunners all day long and active powerboat traffic though all these channels?
Kiters confine activities for the most part to a narrow area off Whale Harbor. How many range more than a half a mile up or down Keys? Few. Most stay above the bottom, otherwise they're just standing still, what's the point. To my knowledge they stay well away from the Florida Bay side of the cut. How are they messing up fishing there? Does all flats fishing activity occur in this narrow area off Whale Harbor? Hope not, otherwise the guides owe their patrons a serious discount for lack of initiative.
Still more points points beyond these obvious few. IF PEOPLE ARE REALLY WORRIED about bottom community health, fish stocks and the like there are activities and interest groups far higher in order of negative influence and priorty than kiters, fact.
Facts in this argument would be good as opposed from unsupported allegations, what do you think?