Nudity on New York's Fire Island has been banned for nearly a decade but USA Today reported that park officials are now cracking down on the ban.
"The change was sparked by increased complaints about assault, sex, masturbation and prostitution, along with damage from Superstorm Sandy that decimated sight-obscuring sand dunes near popular Lighthouse Beach, Fire Island chief ranger Lena Koschmann told Newsday," reported USA Today.
Koschmann said to Newsday they they have been struggling to crack down on the nudity ban.
"We've been struggling to make it work because Fire Island has a history of that type of use and people have been coming there for years," she said. "The more we talked about it and researched it, the more we realized that that use wasn't compatible with an area like Lighthouse Beach."
The ban will also take effect on other beaches on Fire Island where there are nudists.
She also said that tourists who are visiting Lighthouse beach have complained about public nudity on the beach that has no lifeguards or bathrooms.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Koschmann Dunes used to cover up some of the nudity in the past, but they have now been taken down by Superstorm Sandy.
"There has been a huge change in the demographic and the types of activities happening there in the last 10 or 15 years," she sid to Newsday. "Now when you go out there it's a party atmosphere - there's DJs and music, and people partying and drinking."
People who violate the ban could face $5,000 in fines and up to 6 months in jail.
Nudists however are disappointed in the ban. Felicity Jones who is a co-founder of Young Naturists and Nudists America said to Newsday,"It was the best beach we had for New Yorkers, and it's not easy to be a nudist in New York."
Fire Island is a popular summer destination spot. NPS.gov said on its website that "Fire Island has been a special place for diverse plants, animals and people for centuries. Far from the pressure of nearby big-city life, dynamic barrier island beaches offer both solitude and camaraderie, and spiritual renewal."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
