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Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 620
South Meridian Street • Tallahassee, FL • 32399-1600 • (850) 488-4676 FAX
(850) 488-1961 • Web site: MyFWC.com May
27, 2005 FWC SETS
JUNE 15-17 MEETING Contacts:
(aquatic and wildlife issues) Henry Cabbage (850) 488-8843 (marine
issues) Lee Schlesinger (850) 487-0554 The
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet at the Hilton
Daytona Beach Ocean Front Resort June 15-17. The
Wednesday (June 15) agenda includes two items deferred from the April meeting.
One of them is a rule change to prohibit deer-dog hunting on a 7,481-acre
portion of the San Pedro Bay Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The other is
a proposed rule change to manatee protection zones in the Matlacha Pass in Lee
County. In other
action, concerning hunting dogs, commissioners will review findings from
workshops on the proposal to launch a statewide deer-dog registration program,
patterned after a pilot program in northwest Florida last year. Also,
Commissioners will consider adoption of a rule to establish the deer-dog
registration program. Commissioners
also plan to hear an update on Florida’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation
Strategy, which is part of a nationwide wildlife conservation effort. In
connection with pending changes to the state’s list of imperiled species,
Commissioners will consider staff recommendations for persons to serve on
biological review panels and deadlines. Species with pending
classification changes include the Panama City crayfish, manatee, bald eagle and
gopher tortoise. Whether
to adopt measurable biological goals as part of the criteria for evaluating
establishment of manatee protection zones also is a decision on Wednesday’s
agenda. The FWC
plans to consider proposed season dates and bag limits for early season
migratory bird hunting. Staff is not proposing any changes from last
year’s dates and bag limits, but rules for the coming season won’t be final
until later this summer when federal authorities approve the final framework. Staff
reports on Wednesday’s agenda include the future of hunting and fishing in
Florida and an overview of FWC, state, federal, regional and international
programs addressing exotic and invasive species. On
Thursday, Commissioners will take final action on a proposed rule that specifies
buoy- and trap-marking requirements for black sea bass traps. This rule is
intended to prevent black sea bass traps from being misidentified and removed
during coastal clean-up events, and to help reduce use of illegal fish traps. The FWC
will also review and discuss a federal consistency rule for vermilion snapper.
This proposed rule would establish an 11-inch minimum size limit for vermilion
snapper harvested statewide for all recreational fishermen, and for all
commercially harvested vermilion snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. The rule
would also establish a 10-fish recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper in
the Gulf, and close the Gulf to commercial harvest of vermilion snapper from
April 22 through May 31. In other
marine fisheries action, the Commission will review and discuss proposed federal
snapper-grouper regulation changes in the south Atlantic, possible federal
actions to reduce the recreational harvest of red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico,
and the annual marine fisheries management work plan. Land
acquisition decisions on Thursday’s agenda include a 350-acre U.S. Department
of Agriculture tract in Charlotte County as an addition to the Babcock-Webb WMA
and an 80-acre parcel in Jefferson County as an addition to the Aucilla WMA. FWC staff
will report to the Commission concerning duties and responsibilities of the
agency’s Boating and Waterways Section, the Fish Orlando Project, the
Net-Working Group and lighting issues and sea turtle conservation in Florida. Commissioners
will hear an update on the FWC’s Financial Business Plan and efforts to
improve the agency’s meeting process during Friday’s session. The
meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. all three days. -30- HPC/CR Agenda
Items June 15-17, 2005 Daytona
Beach Wednesday Recognition
of Hunter Education Instructors of the Year – Michael and Debra Blakenberg A rule
change to no longer allow deer-dog hunting on a 7,481-acre portion of the San
Pedro Bay WMA and continue to allow deer-dog hunting on the remaining 21,205
acres Reconsideration
of an amendment to manatee protection zones in Matlacha Pass in Lee County Review of
workshops concerning the proposed statewide Deer-Dog Registration Program A rule
proposal to establish registration requirements for deer-dogs on private lands An update
on Florida’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Program Review
and discussion of staff recommendations for persons to serve on biological
review panels and deadlines for completion of biological status reports for
imperiled species listing actions concerning the Panama City crayfish, manatee,
bald eagle and gopher tortoise Review
and discussion of a proposed rule to establish measurable biological goals as
another criterion for evaluating the implementation of manatee protection zones Review
and discussion of early-season migratory bird hunting regulations for 2005-06 Review
and discussion of projects to determine the future of hunting and freshwater and
saltwater fishing in Florida Overview
of public opinions on fish and wildlife management in the southeast United
States An
overview of FWC, state, federal, regional and international programs addressing
exotic and invasive species Thursday Regulation
and prohibition of certain harvesting gear for black sea bass Review
and discussion of the 2005-06 Division of Marine Fisheries Management Plan Review
and discussion of a draft federal consistency rule for vermilion snapper Review
and discussion of draft boating safety rules for Sarasota and Okeechobee
counties Review
and discussion of proposed boating safety rules for the Suwannee and Santa Fe
rivers Acquisition
of a 350-acre addition to the Babcock Webb WMA in Charlotte County Acquisition
of an 80-acre addition to the Aucilla WMA in Jefferson County Staff
reports on duties and responsibilities of the FWC Boating and Waterways Section,
Fish Orlando Project, Net-working Group and lighting issues and sea turtle
conservation in Florida Review
and discussion of proposed federal snapper-grouper regulation changes in the
south Atlantic Review
and discussion of possible federal actions to reduce the recreational harvest of
red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico Friday Update on
the Financial Business Plan Project Staff
reports concerning the Commission meeting improvement process and legislative
matters Presentations
by the public Commission
exchange Administrative
matters |
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