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New Gator Hotline

The FWC has a new toll-free telephone number -- 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286) -- which is the primary number for alligator complaints, available to callers around the clock.

Annually, the FWC receives more than 15,000 alligator-related complaints and removes more than 5,000 alligators when the reptiles pose a threat to humans or their property.

There are many precautionary measures people should take to reduce the potential for conflicts with alligators. To learn more of the “dos and don’ts” of dealing with alligators, download the “Living with Alligators” brochure from MyFWC.com/gators.

Many Floridians have an appreciation for these ancient crocodilians and have learned to coexist with them. However, if you do encounter an alligator that poses a threat to people or property and is more than 4 feet in length, the FWC urges you to call the new Nuisance Alligator Hotline. All alligator complaints will be forwarded to this new dedicated hotline.

Alligators are an important part of Florida’s heritage and play a valuable role in the ecology of the state’s wetlands. Visit MyFWC.com/alligator for more information on alligator behavior and about the Alligator Management Program.

~ Tony Young, FWC

Nuisance Alligator Hotline: 1-866-FWC-GATOR

Robo-Turkeys Help Bag Bad Hunters

Some high-tech recruits have joined the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) law enforcement team. In March, the Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) gave the FWC five robotic turkeys. These so called robo-turkeys are lifelike figures that rotate their bodies, move their tails and even gobble.

“Our officers use the robo-turkeys to snare poachers as they attempt to shoot the decoys,” said Col. Julie Jones, FWC’s law enforcement director. “Having five more of these in the field will greatly increase our ability to catch unethical hunters and conserve one of Florida’s prized game birds.”

Robo-turkeys are not cheap, costing around $700 a piece, and since they are not bulletproof, they often have a short lifespan. That is why NWTF stepped in to offer assistance.
“Our group made a commitment to provide the mechanical birds to all five FWC regional offices,” NWTF Florida Chapter President Bill Marvin said. “We appreciate the agency’s commitment to enforcing wildlife laws and want to help officers with their efforts.”

NWTF has donated a total of 15 birds to the agency during the last three years. The five new robo-turkeys include four gobblers and one hen.

~ Kim Jamerson, FWC

Everglades Youth Conservation Camp

The rustic Everglades Youth Conservation Camp (EYCC), located on J. W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, is located 20 miles west of West Palm Beach. This summer camp enables your child to enjoy a back-to-nature experience in one of Florida's wilderness areas.

The EYCC is now operated through Florida Atlantic University’s Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The camp’s mission is to foster awareness, appreciation and concern for Florida's wildlife and environment through outdoor recreation and education activities in a residential setting.

The 2005 camp season includes six, one-week sessions beginning June 19 and ending July 29. Children entering grades 3 - 9 are invited to attend a one-week camp session, which runs from Sunday through Friday. Programs include Eco-Equestrian, Wildlife Adventurers, Trail Blazers, Rangers (Hunter Safety), Explorers and Mariners. Registration is $275 per child. The fee includes all meals, lodging and materials. PLEASE NOTE: There is an additional activity fee for the Eco-Equestrian (only available the first three weeks) and Mariners programs.

For more information, or to register online, visit www.pinejog.org or contact Laura Thornton, camp registrar at (561) 686-6600.

Deer-dog Hunting Program Expanded Statewide

The FWC will expand a deer-dog registration program statewide for the 2005-06 hunting season. The seven-member Commission based its decision on the overall success of a pilot program in the Northwest Region during the 2004-05 hunting season.

Lt. Col. Mike Wiwi, deputy director of the Division of Law Enforcement presented a report to the Commission on April 14, in Tallahassee. The report stated that 70 individual properties representing 57 deer-dog hunt clubs participated in the Northwest Region pilot program. These properties ranged in size from 40 to 31,000 acres and were located in 14 of the 16 counties within the region. Escambia and Franklin counties were not represented, as they had no registered deer-dog hunting clubs.

During the 2004-2005 hunting season, there were only 87 deer-dog hunting complaints in the Northwest Region, down 36 percent from the 137 reported during the previous season. More importantly, only five of those 87 complaints were associated with registered deer-dog hunting clubs. In contrast, a review of the complaint data for the North Central and Northeast regions, which did not have such a program, showed an increase.

FWC staff recommended statewide expansion with no significant rule changes due to the program’s effectiveness in addressing conflicts between landowners and deer-dog hunters, and the positive feedback received from everyone involved, including law enforcement personnel.

This proposed program would require a no-cost registration for anyone using deer-dogs statewide during the deer-dog training season and during any open deer-hunting season when taking deer with dogs is permitted.

Wiwi said verifying ownership of participating properties in cases where someone other than the landowner is applying was one of the few components needed to improve the program.

The FWC will focus on making sure the public is fully informed about the new registration program by doing a comprehensive mail-out to all involved parties. The agency also plans to solicit input and feedback during future public meetings that will take place in May. All comments submitted at these public meetings, along with a final report, will be on the agenda for consideration at the FWC’s June 15-17 meeting in Daytona Beach.

More information about the proposed statewide deer-dog registration program is available online at MyFWC.com/hunting.

~ Tony Young, FWC

Wildlife Foundation Awards Funds for FWC Projects

The Wildlife Foundation of Florida (WFF) awarded $343,235 from “Conserve Wildlife License Plate” revenues to the FWC for agency projects.

During its March 15 meeting in Tallahassee, the WFF board of directors elected to fund the following projects and studies:

• Florida Manatee Foraging on Seagrass Communities Around a Winter Warm-Water Refuge
• Largemouth Bass Genetics Assessment
• Burrowing Owl Conservation and Management
• Exotic Pet Pilot Forgiveness Program
• Conservation and Protection of Marine Aquatic Habitat at St. Lucie Inlet Reserve State Park Coral Reef
• Population Dynamics, Demography and Movements of the Endangered Snail Kite
• Captive Propagation and Reintroduction of the State-Endangered Miami Blue Butterfly
• Florida Black Bear: Continuation and Expansion of the Bear Response Agent Program
• Florida Black Bear: Support to Conduct a Black Bear Management Survey of the General Public
• Response of Native and Exotic Apple Snails to Lake Habitat Management
• Evaluation of Web Cam Technology for Compliance Monitoring

The Conserve Wildlife License Plate is the product of a partnership between the FWC, the WFF, Defenders of Wildlife and the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club. The license plate costs $17 more than a regular plate. Of that additional cost, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles receives $2. The WFF receives the remaining $15 to support activities of the FWC. The $15 is tax-deductible.

In the past five years, the WFF has provided more than $1.3 million of Conserve Wildlife License Plate revenues to fund FWC projects.

The Florida Legislature established the WFF in 1994 to provide assistance, funding and promotional support for the FWC.

Additional information about the WFF is available at WildlifeFoundationofFlorida.com. The FWC’s Web site is MyFWC.com.

~ Bill Bibby, FWC

FWC Proposes Rules to Clarify Saltwater Fish Measurement

The FWC has proposed a series of rule amendments to clarify how fishermen should measure saltwater finfish. The Commission is developing these rules to standardize the way that total length is measured.

FWC’s saltwater fishing rules express size limits of marine fish in either fork length or total length. Size limit measurements for fish expressed in fork length, such as Spanish mackerel, pompano and cobia, are considered to be easily understood by fishermen and do not need further clarification.

However, FWC rules do not clearly specify how to measure fish that have total length size limits, such as red drum, spotted seatrout and snook, subjecting the measurement of total length to interpretation by fishermen and law enforcement officers.

In order to clarify how total length size limits for marine fish should be measured, the FWC has proposed a series of rule amendments specifying that total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

The Commission is also proposing to clarify the measurement for triggerfish by changing its measurement from total length to fork length.

The goal of these proposals is to provide a standard measurement procedure that is understood by resident and visiting anglers, and that may be uniformly enforced by officers in the field.

The FWC will conduct stakeholder meetings and public workshops on its proposed fish measurement rules before holding a final public hearing on the rules during its Sept. 21-23 meeting in Sarasota. If the proposed rules are approved by the Commission, the rules are anticipated to take effect Jan. 1.

More information about measurement of saltwater fish can be accessed on-line at MyFWC.com/marine/Fishing_Measurement.htm.

~ Lee Schlesinger, FWC

FWC to Update Listing Process

The FWC will move forward with updating the state’s imperiled species listing process. After conducting a final public hearing on the proposal, April 14, in Tallahassee, Commissioners voted to adopt updated criteria developed by the highly respected International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In addition, the Commission will ask IUCN experts to train FWC scientists in how to apply the criteria.

Commissioners expressed their confidence in the updated process, but in acknowledgement of many stakeholders’ concerns about how it might impact certain species they pledged to review the listing process if unforeseen problems arise during its implementation.

“We believe our actions will make Florida’s process one of the most effective, science-based, recovery-oriented processes in the world, but we recognize the process may not be perfect,” FWC Chairman Herky Huffman said. “That’s why we directed staff to provide us with updates about how the process is working and recommend further refinements as needed.”

This decision by the FWC does not immediately affect the listing status of any of the 118 animal species classified as endangered, threatened or species of special concern in the state list. It also will not affect the status of species on the federal list, which revolves around different criteria.

FWC executive director Ken Haddad said the ultimate goal with each imperiled species is to help them recover to the point where they come off the list completely.

Commissioners also voted to lift the moratorium on considering classification of listed species. Visit MyFWC.com/imperiledspecies to learn more about the proposed updates.

~ Kim Jamerson

New Oyster Harvest Seasons

Commissioners have approved a rule amendment that changes the Apalachicola Bay winter oyster harvest season from Oct. 1 – June 30 to Sept. 1 – May 31 and the summer season from July 1 – Sept. 30 to June 1 – Aug. 31. This rule takes effect Sept. 1.

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