Gentlemen I feel your pain. These new regs will definetly cutout any trips to the islands for me. Way too expensive. If I want to spend that much money for an overnight trip I would just a soon head out on a Gulf Oil Rig charter. Atleast then I don't have to do anything but catch fish and drink.
As for the proposed 600' closure it's not as bad as it sounds (yet)! The scientist have requested that the SAFMC place the entire east coast of Florida (from 600' out to the EEZ) under the HAPC (Habitat Area of Particular Concern). There is an entire ocean floor out there loaded with deep water corals that the Harbor Branch & Other science organizations want to protect. Apparently there is already evidence that the bottom trawls and long lining are having an affect on the sponges and corals down there. The problem as I see it is that the Oculina Banks is also an HAPC with the addition of several MPA's that are closed and will remain closed to bottom fishing.