Commission meeting news : 

News Release

FWC Commissioners receive update on the Everglades

December 3, 2008
Contact: Patricia Behnke, 850-251-2130

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) heard a report from staff on water and wildlife issues in the Everglades on Wednesday at its meeting in Key West.

During the August rains from Tropical Storm Fay, 20 inches of water fell throughout the Everglades drainage basin, causing some dangerous conditions for wildlife in the Everglades.

The Everglades encompass approximately one-half of its historical area, which magnifies impacts from heavy rainfall storms, such as occurred with Fay.  Because drainage patterns also have been altered, these conditions can persist for weeks, creating large areas of relatively deep water. This situation generates enormous stress on wildlife.

The FWC has developed high- and low-water closing criteria for the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor, Holey Land and Rotenberger wildlife management areas (WMAs).  The presence of humans during these times increases stress levels and mortality for wildlife through human interaction.

High-water levels concentrate wildlife in small areas, causing disease outbreaks, increased parasites and malnutrition because of a limited food supply.  During times of low water, the risk of muck fires increases and internal combustion engines can be a hazard.

Chuck Collins, FWC's South Region director, presented the criteria for high- and low-water closure for the Everglades and Taylor WMAs.

"Our staff collects data on wildlife through spotlight surveys throughout the year to establish a baseline behavior for normal to dry conditions," Collins said. "This data is crucial to determine when it is appropriate to reopen the area."

Commissioner Ronald Bergeron leads the Commission on Everglades issues and in October brought together a team consisting of the South Florida Water Management District, the Miccosukee Tribe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Transportation, the Department of the Interior and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to help devise a plan to reduce water levels during emergency high-water events.