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upon which the challenge is to be based.
All persons who so desire shall be given an opportunity to speak at a
Commission workshop or meeting within the guidelines established by the
Commission. The Chairman reserves the right to establish a time for
adjournment of the workshop or meeting, to limit the time for speakers, and
to limit the time allotted for specific agenda items in order to ensure the
public’s opportunity to be heard and the orderly conduct of the meeting.
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person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is
asked to advise the agency at least five calendar days before the meeting by
contacting the ADA Coordinator at (850) 488-6411. If the individual is
hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency by calling (850)
488-9542.
Agenda Items listed under the headings of “Issues,” “Staff Reports,” or
“Administrative Matters” may be moved by the Chairman to different days of
the meeting to accommodate scheduling problems.
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>8:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 7
1. Meeting Opening
A. Call to Order
B. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
C. Special Presentations and Recognitions
(1) Recognition of Amos Morris for
his 27 years of volunteer service to the Wildlife Alert Program.
(2) Retirement recognition of Roy
Williams for his 38 years of service to the agency.
(3) Recognition of an agreement
between the FWC and the National Wild Turkey Federation for wild turkey
management in Florida.
(4) Introduction of local Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) employees.
2. Adoption of Agenda
A. Review and Approval of December 6-7, 2006 Commission
Meeting Minutes
B. Approval of Consent Agenda (Attached)
C. Approval of Agenda
3.
Executive Director’s Report
(Executive Director's Report Update-1/30/07)
4. Items Requiring Action
A. Final Rules
(1) Hunting, Vehicle and Wildlife
Management Area (WMA) Rules (Background
Report 1/08/07) (Background
Report Update No.1 - 01/11/2007)
-------------------------------------------Group
1-----------------------------------------
(a)
68A-4.0071, (New) Access Prohibited on Certain Areas – The proposed rule
would allow areas managed by the Commission to be temporarily closed
through closure order because of public safety concerns due to
disasters, severe weather, severe weather forecasts and/or effects of
weather on the area. Closures would be limited to 14 days or less,
except as authorized by the Executive Director.
(Background
Report 1/08/07)
(b)
68A-9.007, Special-use Permits; Short-term Use Permits; Fees;
Special-Opportunity Hunting and Fishing – The proposed rule would
provide the authority for the Commission to negotiate contracts through
a competitive process for vendors to provide specific concession
services on FWC-managed lands including, but not limited to, public
shooting ranges, public campgrounds, and paddling trails. The contracts
would include vendor fees that would be charged for these activities. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(c)
68A-11.005, Use of Tracked Vehicles in the South Region – The proposed
rule changes would reestablish and simplify rules for inspecting and
registering tracked vehicles utilizing the Holey Land, Rotenberger,
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMAs; modify the specifications for
allowable tracked vehicles; require periodic re-inspection of tracked
vehicles; require registration of tracked vehicles when transferring
ownership; and establish a tracked vehicle registration decal system. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(d) 68A-11.0051,
Tracked Vehicles Used for Recreational Purposes in the South Region –
The provisions of this rule would be moved to 68A-11.005 (above) and
rule 68A-11.0051 would be repealed. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
--------------------------------------------Group
2----------------------------------------
(e)
68A-15.005, Quota Permits, Antlerless Deer Permits, Special-Opportunity
Permits – The proposed rule changes would adjust hunter quotas on WMAs
and Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) and establish hunter quotas
for new WMAs. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(f)
68A-15.061, Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas –
Southwest Region – The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates
to conform to calendar year changes and revises specific WMA regulations
as follows: (Background
Report 1/08/07)
Babcock/Webb
WMA: The proposed rule change would allow managers to employ adaptive
harvest management strategies and annually adjust harvest pressure via
Order of the Executive Director. This rule change would provide the
flexibility to adjust hunter quotas (daily quail permits) on an annual
basis using a target harvest rate of 30% of fall population estimates,
and hunter success rates.
(g)
68A-15.062, Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – North
Central Region – The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to
conform to calendar year changes and revises specific WMA regulations as
follows: (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(i) Osceola WMA – The proposed rule change would reconfigure the
boundaries of the still and dog hunt areas, increase the size of the dog
hunt area by approximately 17,000 acres and increase the number of dog
hunt quota permits from 800 to 900. Dog hunters would be required to use
designated roads to access the dog hunt area during the fox, deer-dog
training and general gun seasons; and would continue to be allowed to
possess dogs at the East Tower campground, during the general gun
season.
(ii) Twin Rivers WMA – The proposed rule change would prohibit the
taking of hogs with dogs.
(iii) Twin Rivers WMA, Blue Springs Unit – The proposed rule change
would provide up to 14 days of bird dog training during November and
December; establish a special-opportunity quail hunt on up to five
Saturdays in January and February with the following hunter quotas: two
(2) permits per day, two (2) persons per permit, and a bag limit of 12
quail per permit by special-opportunity quail hunt application. Proposed
rules would maintain sustainable quail hunting opportunities by annually
adjusting harvest pressure via Order of the Executive Director. The
number of days open to hunting would be established so that not more
than 15% of the fall quail population would be taken. In addition,
proposed rules would eliminate the restriction of bird dog training
hours; allow bird dog training permits to be issued from the Regional
Office; require persons participating in bird dog training or
special-opportunity quail hunts to enter at a designated entrance;
prohibit motorized vehicles except by persons in possession of a valid
bird dog training or special-opportunity quail hunt permit and allow
shotguns only during the special-opportunity quail hunts.
(iv) San Pedro Bay WMA – The proposed rule change is a technical
correction that would eliminate reference to the still hunt area, which
has been removed from the WMA at the request of the landowner.
(v) Lower Econfina River WMA – The proposed rule would establish
regulations for the new WMA with the following open seasons: 16-day
archery, three-day muzzleloading gun, 42-day small game, nine-day spring
turkey, and fishing and frogging throughout the year. It would establish
as legal to take all legal game, hogs, fish, frogs and furbearers, no
size or bag limit on hogs; quota permits would not be required for any
season; fires would be prohibited; motorized vehicles could be operated
only on named or numbered roads; east of the Lower Econfina River
motorized vehicles would be allowed only during periods open to hunting;
ATVs and motorcycles would be prohibited; hunting with bird dogs and
dogs with a shoulder height of less than 15 inches would be allowed and
hunting hogs with dogs would be prohibited. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(h)
68A-15.063, Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas –
Northwest Region – The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates
to conform to calendar year changes and revises specific WMA regulations
as follows: (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(i) Econfina Creek WMA – The proposed rule change would allow hunting on
Econfina Road.
(ii) Escambia River WMA – The proposed rule change would extend the
general gun season from 26 to 58 days by converting the archery/muzzleloading
gun season to a general gun season. Note that deer dog hunting is
currently allowed only during the 26-day general gun season. This change
would allow deer dog hunting opportunities for a full 58-day general gun
season.
(iii) Wakulla WMA – The proposed rule change would realign existing
archery/muzzleloading gun hunts to occur every other weekend instead of
consecutive weekends; and provide for the small game season to begin the
day after the end of the archery/muzzleloading gun season and run for 28
consecutive days.
(iv) Perdido River WMA – The proposed rule would establish regulations
for the new WMA with the following open seasons: 30-day archery;
three-day muzzleloading gun; four-day and three-day family hunt;
seven-day and nine-day general gun; 11-day archery and muzzleloading
gun; 30-day small game; nine-day and 14-day spring turkey; migratory
game birds during statewide seasons; fishing and frogging throughout the
year. It would establish as legal to take all legal game, hogs, fish,
frogs and furbearers with no size or bag limit on hogs, and establish
the following hunter quotas: archery – 40 by archery/muzzle¬loading gun
quota application, no exemptions; muzzleloading gun – 40 by archery/muzzleloading
gun quota application, no exemptions; family hunt – 20 by family hunt
quota application for each hunt, no exemptions; general gun – 40 by
general gun quota application for each hunt, no exemptions; archery and
muzzleloading gun – 40 by archery/muzzleloading gun application, no
exemptions; spring turkey – 15 by spring turkey application for each
hunt, no exemptions. It would allow camping at designated sites or by
permit from the Northwest Florida Water Management District; allow
vehicles to be operated only on named or numbered roads; prohibit ATVs;
allow hunting with bird dogs and retrievers; allow horses on designated
horse trails only; and prohibit the possession or consumption of
intoxicating beverages. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(v) Tate’s Hell WMA – The proposed rule change would allow the use of
off-highway vehicles, including ATVs, by permit from the Florida
Division of Forestry.
(vi) Tyndall AFB WMA – The proposed rule change would prohibit the
taking of any antlered deer with less than three-points on a side; and
prohibit the use of handguns, or rimfire or centerfire rifles for taking
wildlife.
(i)
68A-15.064, Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – South
Region – The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform
to calendar year changes and revises specific WMA regulations as
follows: (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(i) Holey Land WMA – The proposed rule change would allow for the
transfer of general gun-vehicle permits and deer tags by FWC law
enforcement supervisors or their designees in the case of a disabled
track vehicle.
(ii) Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA – The proposed rule change
would allow for the transfer of general gun-vehicle permits and deer
tags by FWC law enforcement supervisors or their designees in the case
of a disabled track vehicle or airboat.
(iii) Rotenberger WMA – The proposed rule change would allow for the
transfer of general gun-vehicle permits and deer tags by FWC law
enforcement supervisors or their designees in the case of a disabled
track vehicle.
(iv) Picayune Strand WMA – The proposed rule change would expand the
migratory bird hunting season to match the statewide migratory bird
seasons.
(v) Allapattah Flats WMA – The proposed rule would establish regulations
for the new WMA with the following open seasons: seven-day and nine-day
archery; three-day muzzleloading gun; four-day family hunt; five-day
general gun; 58-day small game; four-day and five-day spring turkey; and
fishing – throughout the year. It would establish as legal to take all
legal game, hogs, fish, and furbearers (except bobcat and otter) with no
size or bag limit on hogs, allow turkey to be taken during spring turkey
season only, and establish a bag limit of one per quota permit for deer
and wild turkey. It would establish the following hunter quotas: archery
– 50 by archery/muzzleloading gun quota application for each hunt, no
exemptions; muzzleloading gun – 50 by archery/muzzleloading gun quota
application, no exemptions; family hunt – 25 by family hunt quota
applica¬tion, no exemptions; general gun – 50 by general gun quota
application, no exemptions; spring turkey – 20 by spring turkey quota
application for each hunt, no exemptions. It would allow tent camping
and fires only at designated sites; allow vehicles to be operated only
on named or numbered roads; allow vehicles to be operated on numbered
trails during archery, muzzleloading gun, family hunt, general gun, and
spring turkey seasons and only by persons possessing a valid quota
permit; prohibit tracked vehicles, swamp buggies, airboats, motorcycles,
and all-terrain vehicles; require all hunters to check in and out when
entering and exiting the area at a designated entrance and to check all
game taken; prohibit the dismemberment of deer until checked at a check
station; prohibit the take of wildlife with dogs, except with bird dogs
or retrievers during the small game season; allow horses only on named
equestrian trails and designated equestrian areas and allow only
shotguns during small game season. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(j)
68A-15.065, Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas –
Northeast Region – The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates
to conform to calendar year changes and revises specific WMA regulations
as follows: (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(i) Tosohatchee and Seminole Ranch WMAs – The proposed rule would switch
the second seven-day general gun hog hunt on Tosohatchee WMA (last week
of January) with the seven-day general gun hog hunt on Seminole Ranch
WMA (second week of February), with no change in the number of days open
to hunting.
(ii) Matanzas WMA – The proposed rule would establish a nine-day general
gun hog season with a quota of 50.
(k)
68A-17.005, Specific Regulations for Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs)
– The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates on WEAs to conform
to calendar year date changes. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(2) Captive Wildlife Rules (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(a)
68A-1.004, Definitions – The proposed rule would establish definitions
for the terms “captive wildlife,” “critical incident,” “disaster,”
“relative,” “reptiles of concern,” “venomous reptile,” and redefine the
term “person.” (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(b)
68A-6.004, Standard Caging Requirements for Captive Wildlife – The
proposed rule would add additional caging requirements for arboreal
species of snakes, blood pythons and large constrictors.
(c)
68A-6.0022, Possession of Class I, II or III Wildlife in Captivity,
Permit Requirements – The proposed rule would be re-titled to include
Class I, II and III wildlife. It would clarify how an applicant’s
previous convictions for captive wildlife violations would determine
whether or not he qualified for a permit. The rule would state who may
offer references as to the applicant’s experience with Class I, II or
III wildlife, that providing false information of experience is a
violation, that applicants must provide a facility location of captive
wildlife and that facilities housing Class I and II wildlife and Class
III capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys be inspected and approved prior
to issuance of the permit. The rule would require each applicant to
document in writing actions that would be taken in preparation for
disasters and critical incidents. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(d)
68A-6.003, Facility and Structural Requirements for Class I, II and III
Wildlife – The proposed rule would clarify what constitutes “leased”
property when applying for a license for Class I and II wildlife. It
would establish a list of Class I and II species that are exempt from
the five (5) acre and two and one-half (2½) acre requirements and would
address in what “zoning use” category a Class I facility may be located.
(e)
68A-6.0072, Identification of Non-Native Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles
of Concern; Escape (New) The proposed rule would require non-native
venomous reptiles and reptiles of concern to be permanently marked or
identified and any escapes to be reported to the Commission immediately
upon discovery.
(f)
68A-6.007, Possession, Transportation, Exhibition and Caging Venomous
Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern; Prohibited Reptile Species (New) - The
proposed rule would establish a list of reptiles of concern which would
include five (5) large constrictors and the Nile monitor. As an
alternative to the one-thousand (1,000) hours of experience required for
possessing venomous reptiles, the rule would provide for successful
completion of an examination plus five hundred (500) hours of
experience. For reptiles of concern, the successful completion of a
questionnaire would be required. Out building and cage marking or
identification would be required if used for housing venomous reptiles.
Bite or exposure protocols and disaster/critical incident plans would be
required as well.
(g)
68A-6.0071, Record Keeping and Reporting Requirements (New) - The
proposed rule would require possessors of venomous reptiles and reptiles
of concern to maintain records of births, deaths, acquisitions, sales
and transfers. The rule would establish an Inventory Report form and
time periods for its submission.
(3) Fish Management Area (FMA) Rules
68A-20.005, Specific Fish Management
Area Regulations – The proposed rule would establish specific area
regulations for the new Largo Central Park Nature Preserve FMA including
establishing a daily bag limit of 20 panfish, establishing a minimum
length limit of 10 inches and a daily bag limit of 10 for black crappie,
and prohibiting possession and use of cast nests or minnow seines,
killing or possessing black bass, swimming, and possession of firearms
or alcoholic beverages. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
B. Draft Rules
(1) Review and discussion of draft
rule 68-1.003, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Grants
Program. The draft rule would update incorporations by reference to the
guidelines for the Fish and Wildlife Institute Grants Program, the
Florida State Wildlife Grant Program, and the Nongame Wildlife Grants
Program, to reflect necessary changes in each of the three sets of
guidelines. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(2) Exotic Wildlife Rules
(a) Review
and discussion of draft rule 68-5, Rules Relating to Non-Native Species.
The draft rule would consolidate portions of non-native species
regulations from 68A-23.008 and 68A-25.002; incorporate statutory
restrictions in 370.081 and 372.98; list ‘conditional’ (currently
‘restricted’) and prohibited species, and the conditions under which
they may be possessed; establish red-eared slider turtles as a
conditional species while grandfathering possession to discourage
release; add African pouch rats (genus Cricetomys) as a prohibited
species, conforming with the 2003 U.S. Food and Drug Administration and
Centers for Disease Control Interim Final Rule that bans importation,
transportation and sale. (Background
Report 1/25/07) (Background
Report 1/25/07)
(b) Review
and discussion of draft rule 68A-25.002, General Provisions for Taking,
Possession and Sale of Reptiles. Provisions of this rule relating to
leopard and African spurred tortoises would be moved to proposed rule
68-5.
(c) Review
and discussion of rule 68A- 23.008, Introduction of Non-Native Aquatic
Species in the Waters of the State; Provisions for Sale and Inspection
of Fish for Bait or Propagation Purpose; Diseased Fish. Provisions of
this rule would be moved to proposed rule 68-5, and the rule would be
repealed.
C. Issues
Update on the completion of the Florida Bass Conservation
Center. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
D. Plans
Review and discussion of proposed 2007-08 work plan for the
Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
5. Commissioners’ Areas of Emphasis
Update on the Future of Hunting in Florida (Background
Report 1/08/07)
6. Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda
7. Commission Exchange
8. Recess Wednesday Portion of Meeting
>8:30 a.m., Thursday, February 8
9. Items Requiring Action
A. Final Rules (Background
Report 1/08/07)
68B-4.009, Monofilament Line and Netting: Prohibition of
Intentional Discard, Recovery Requirements, and Recommendations for
Appropriate Disposal – The proposed rule would require persons
recovering monofilament netting in Florida waters to notify FWC Division
of Law Enforcement prior to recovering the netting and to have an FWC
officer present to supervise the recovery and disposal of the material.
(Background
Report 1/08/07)
B. Draft Rules
(1) Review and discussion of a draft
rule amendment [68B-28.003(2)] to allow commercial sponge harvest by
diving in the northern Gulf of Mexico west of a north-south line
represented by 84 degrees west longitude, which meets the coast near
Cabell Point (Aucilla River) on the eastern border of Jefferson County.
(Background
Report 1/08/07)
(2) Review and discussion of a draft
rule amendment (68B-22) to potentially change the size limit and fishing
season for red drum (redfish). (Background
Report 1/08/07)
(Background
Report Update-1/25/07) (Background
Report Update #2- 2/05/07)
(3) Review and discussion of draft
rule amendments (68B-14) to implement federal consistency rules for the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Amendment 13C (snowy
grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, red porgy, and black sea
bass); and federal consistency issues addressing the Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council actions on grouper, and the red snapper
individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. (Background
Report 1/08/07) (Background
Report Update - 2/12/07)
C. State Issues
(1) Update on the recommendations
from the Snook Working Group. (Background
Report 1/08/07) (Background
Report Update - 2/12/07)
(2) Update on the FWC saltwater fish
hatchery. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
D. Federal Issues (Background
Report 1/08/07) (Background
Report Update 2/02/07)
E. Administrative Issues
Review and consideration of moving the location of the
September 12-14, 2007 Commission meeting from Ft. Myers to St.
Petersburg.
10. Commissioners’ Areas of Emphasis
A. Future of Saltwater Fishing in Florida. (Background
Report 1/08/07)
B. Update on the Financial Business Plan
C. New Areas of Emphasis for 2007.
11. Legislative Report (Background
Report 1/25/07) (Background
Report 1/25/07)
12. Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda
13. Commission Exchange
14. Commission Administrative Matters
The next regular Commission meeting will be held
April 11-12, 2007, at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center, 2900 North
Monroe Street, Tallahassee, commencing at 8:30 a.m. each day.
15. Adjournment
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