News Release

FWC meeting at Howey-in-the-Hills Sept. 9-11

September 1, 2009
Contacts: (Inland issues) Henry Cabbage, 850-488-8843
(Marine issues) Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554

• Agenda (with links to background reports) 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will meet at the Mission Inn in Howey-in-the-Hills Sept. 9-11. The meeting is open to the public at 10400 County Road 48. It will convene at 8:30 a.m. all three days.

The Sept. 9 (Wednesday) agenda will focus on inland issues, including discussion of a proposed rule to allow falconers to hunt with peregrine falcons. The proposal may be on the agenda for final approval in December if Commissioners direct FWC staff to proceed with developing it. Federal regulations would limit the program to five or fewer peregrines per year in Florida.

Another proposed rule on the Sept. 9 agenda would solidify an existing executive order allowing licensed hunters to kill nonnative reptiles of concern in select South Florida wildlife management areas. The rule will be up for final approval in December. As part of an overall review of existing regulatory measures for reptiles of concern, the Commission will be reviewing proposed legislation from Sen. Lee Constantine and others to enhance the FWC's efforts to regulate captive wildlife in Florida.

Also, Commissioners will consider conceptual changes to deer hunting zones and seasons. FWC biologists are recommending changes to align hunting dates with the timing of breeding activity, called the "rut." The FWC will conduct two public meetings in September to review possible changes and gather additional public input. The proposal would be up for final approval in February if Commissioners direct FWC staff to proceed with developing it.  Changes would begin with the 2010-2011 hunting season.

Commissioners also plan to discuss conceptual changes to regulations concerning hunting, fishing, management areas, nuisance wildlife and nonnative wildlife.

In addition, FWC staff will present a detailed update on the progress of revisions to direct agency actions on listing, managing and permitting activities associated with imperiled species. The issue is not on the agenda as a rule proposal at this meeting.

The first day's session also includes a review of land acquisition and management issues.

On Sept. 10 (Thursday), the Commission will address marine fisheries issues.  Commissioners will consider proposed rules that would be consistent with new federal regulations implemented to reduce overfishing of vermilion snapper in the Atlantic Ocean and improve fishing for this species in the future.  The proposed rules would:

• decrease the recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper in Atlantic state waters from 10 fish to 5 fish daily per person,
• prohibit the captain and crew of for-hire vessels from keeping Atlantic vermilion snapper, and
• prohibit all harvest of vermilion snapper in Atlantic state waters from Nov. 1-March 31.

The Commission will also consider proposed federal consistency rules to address overfishing of Atlantic grouper.  These rules would:

• decrease the aggregate daily recreational bag limit for all Atlantic grouper from 5 fish to 3 fish per person,
• prohibit the captain and crew of for-hire vessels from retaining any species in the aggregate grouper bag limit,
• decrease the aggregate recreational bag limit for gag and black grouper from 2 fish combined to 1 fish combined in Atlantic and all Monroe County state waters, and
• require dehooking tools aboard commercial and recreational vessels fishing for Atlantic reef fish.

In addition, the proposed federal consistency rules would prohibit the harvest of shallow-water groupers (including gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, coney, grasby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper and tiger grouper) from Jan. 1 - April 30 in Atlantic state waters.  The commercial harvest of these species will also close during this period under existing FWC rules.  However, the Commission will consider not including red and black grouper in the four-month recreational season closure pending an updated evaluation of their status due in early 2010.

Commissioners will also consider proposed rules that would be compatible with an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission management plan for Atlantic coastal sharks and enhance current FWC protective measures for sharks that inhabit Florida waters.  These rules would:

• prohibit the harvest of sandbar, silky and Caribbean sharpnose sharks from state waters;
• establish a 54-inch-fork-length minimum size limit for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, finetooth and blacktip sharks and smooth dogfish;
• prohibit the removal of shark heads and tails at sea;
• allow only hook-and-line gear to harvest sharks; and
• make other technical changes to shark rules.

In other marine fisheries action, the Commission will hold a final public hearing on proposed amendments to its special activities license rules, review and discuss issues regarding Northeast Florida weakfish and sand seatrout and Biscayne National Park's general and fishery management plans, and consider various federal fishery management issues.

The final session Sept. 11 (Friday) will consist of staff reports concerning the agency's finances, budget, legislative proposals and administrative matters.

Anyone requiring special accommodations to participate in the meeting because of a disability should notify the FWC at least five days in advance by calling 850-488-6411. Hearing- or speech-impaired people can arrange assistance by calling 800-955-8711 (hearing impaired) or 800-955-8770 (voice impaired).