Floridas IFP Termination

[tomccue]

Hello, I'm new here and saw some other folks here are in Florida.
I'm not a diver but I have began a dig on our private property after
finding four arrowheads and have since found lots of chips and chunks
of various chert, all tooled.
Below the exerpt there's a link to a sample letter you may wish to
sign as this could be very dissapointing to have a portion of our
hobbie made illeagal.
I'm very much an amature, you might wish to see the home page of
paleoenterprises and email Mr. Tatum for a professional opinion on
this matter.

I'm in no way a representative of, or affiliated with paleo
enterprises and I have posted the letter link as a concerned hobbiest.

Thanks for your support and allowing me as a member here. I look
forward to posting some pick of my finds soon.
.................................................. ...............

Exerpt: Due to the lack of support for the IFP by the diving
community, as evidenced by the small number of divers participating
in the program, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the
Florida Division of Historical Resources that the IFP be terminated.
As the IFP is not in the Florida statutes, it does not have the
status of a law or rule and therefore, does not require a vote by our
legislature to end the policy. Termination of this policy will have
serious ramifications upon our hobby, affecting not only those who
dive in Florida rivers to recover artifacts, but also those who
possess, buy or sell these ancient relics. With the removal of IFP,
Florida law will revert to that before the IFP was initiated and it
will become a 1st degree misdemeanor to collect or possess these
artifacts (felony charges can be brought against those caught digging
for artifacts in the rivers), and buying and selling of artifacts
found in Florida rivers can bring additional charges of trafficking
in stolen property, as these artifacts belong to the state of
Florida. In addition, the spirit of trust and cooperation between
amateur collectors and the professional community that has been so
painstakingly re-established over the 8 years of IFP's existence will
suffer irreparable damage.

I am seeking your assistance in our effort to preserve Florida's IFP
and the rights of amateurs to recover and possess ancient relics from
Florida's waterways. As the IFP is not restricted to citizens from
the state of Florida, out-of-state divers and collectors have also
benefited from the policy and their voices will be invaluable in this
effort. If sufficient numbers express their concerns about these
developments, we may be able to convince the bureaucrats to give the
IFP a second chance.
The email I sent to Dr. Janet Matthews
Director, Division of Historical Resources
http://paleoenterprises.com/
Was kicked back.
http://www.paleoenterprises.com/Isolatedfinds.htm