A plan to ban the use of motorboat engines on a third of Florida Bay waters in Everglades National Park drew the attention of Florida Keys backcountry guides this week.<BR><BR>"That took us by surprise," said Kerry Wingo, president of the Key Largo Fishing Guides Association. "It's a lot more drastic than we were anticipating."</p><p>The National Park Service's preferred alternative for the first major update of the park's management plan in more than three decades proposes to designate "approximately 131,392 acres in the shallows of the bay [that] would be managed as pole-or-troll zones to better protect the sea bottom, including wilderness resources, seagrass beds and important ecological habitats."</p><p>That accounts for 33 percent of the bay inside Everglades boundaries.</p><p>Islamorada fishing guide John Kipp said the pole-or-troll areas could be preferable to stricter regulations.</p><p>"The park's mandate is to protect their natural resources in a pristine state," Kipp said. "The other alternatives -- to close with no access under any circumstances -- would not be good. If we go with what they're proposing, we'll still be able to get in there."</p><p>Under the pole-or-troll concept, designated shallow areas would be open to fishing boats that use only push poles or small electric trolling motors for travel. Boats inside the zones can have combustion engines but they could not be used.</p><p>A prototype pole-or-troll area covering 9,400 acres in Snake Bight near Flamingo was designated in early 2011.</p><p>"The Snake Bight project demonstrated that resource protection and enhanced visitor opportunities, designed in close consultation with the public, can work," Everglades Superintendent Dan Kimball said.</p><p>Public comments on the preferred management alternative for all of Everglades National Park will be open through May 12. Open public meetings, all running 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., area are scheduled:</p><p><LI> March 19 in Homestead at the John D. Campbell Agricultural Center, 18710 SW 288th St.</p><p><LI> March 20 in Tavernier, at Coral Shores High School, mile marker 90.</p><p><LI> April 10 in Key Largo, at the Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, mile marker 102.</p><p>The Key Largo guides association plans to meet today to discuss its formal response to the proposed bay rules.</p><p>"I'm all for protecting the bay. That's where I make my livelihood," said guide Lain Goodwin. "But my opinion is that limiting access to 33 percent is way overboard."</p><p>No-motor zones in Florida Bay flats have been a hot topic since the first park rule revisions were issued in 2007. After a rewrite, a new plan was forwarded in 2009 but delayed by federal budget problems.</p><p>Also proposed in the current preferred alternative released last week is a mandatory boater-education process for those who navigate on Florida Bay's park waters.</p><p>Permits would be issued after some type of educational session -- likely similar to the online Eco-Mariner program launched by the National Parks Conservation Association.</p><p>The park plan also outlines potential improvements for its Key Largo Ranger Station and Science Center, on a 20-acre bayside property. Improvements there could include habitat restoration, a meeting room and nature trail.</p><p>The full 614-page Everglades National Park plan is available online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/Ever.