Politics

Crist seeks help for sharks via disaster relief

TALLAHASSEE

Gov. Charlie Crist has asked for federal disaster relief to help Florida's shark fishing industry, which has been crippled by troubled stocks and regulatory restrictions. Once seen as a cheap alternative at seafood counters, shark has essentially disappeared from the commercial marketplace. Sharks are slow growing, bear only a few young at a time and are particularly susceptible to fishing pressure. This year, federal regulators banned all shark fishing at least through August. Still, Crist will face an uphill battle. Disaster relief is allowed under federal law but typically has applied to natural disasters, such as recent hurricanes that devastated Gulf of Mexico shrimp boats.

CORAL GABLES

Activist says raid targeted her family

A Miami-Dade College student on Tuesday accused immigration authorities of targeting her family for deportation because of her activism on behalf of undocumented students.

Gaby Pacheco, 23, is a native of Ecuador in the United States on a student visa. She has long spoken out in favor of immigration reform and allowing students brought to the country illegally as children to become citizens.

Her allegations stem from a 2006 raid at her Miami home. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained her parents and two sisters, all of whom are here illegally.

[Last modified March 5, 2008, 06:52:06]