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News Release

Partners, public assist FWC with imperiled species listing process

September 10, 2009
Contact: Patricia Behnke, 850-251-2130

For nearly two years, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has worked to draft rules that will offer the best possible conservation measures for Florida's imperiled species. Stakeholders and the public have played a vital role in crafting the new rules.

At the FWC's meeting in Howey-in-the-Hills on Wednesday, the Commission directed staff to continue to include the public and stakeholders in the process and to bring draft rules to the Commission at the December meeting in Clewiston.

"Staff has done a great job with crafting these rules," said John Sprague of Marine Industries Association of Florida. "But there are still a few issues that need to be worked out."

Dr. Elsa Haubold, the FWC's imperiled species team leader, provided an overview of the direction being taken in crafting the draft rules.

"The new draft rules will provide for a comprehensive and cohesive approach to managing species so they will thrive, rather than become extinct," Haubold said. "The draft rules focus on improving the management system and listing process for Florida's imperiled species."

Several speakers addressed the Commission commending the work staff has done and saying they are grateful they have been included in the process.

"I'm feeling optimistic," said Laurie Macdonald with Defenders of Wildlife. "I'm confident stakeholders and staff can come together with rules we can all live with."

Haubold outlined the draft rules' major changes to Florida's imperiled species listing process. All federally listed species would be on Florida's list. Previously, confusion occurred in understanding the difference between the federal list and Florida's list. Haubold stressed the efficiency of this process, which could stop duplicative permitting.

The list also would include a single category for state-listed species. The current process consists of three-tiered listing categories. The one-list concept simplifies the whole process, because attention will focus on the management of the imperiled species, instead of on the name of the imperiled species, Haubold said.

A scientific method will be used to review species-evaluation requests and avoid using subjective evaluations by staff. This scientific process will be used to determine which species will be evaluated for listing.

Finally, to ensure that no species ever comes close to extinction in Florida, management plans will be put in place for all Florida-listed species. Management plans, which provide conservation measures and actions to ensure species do not again become listed, are required for all species added to or removed from the list.

The process through which a species becomes listed will remain the same, and all of Florida's currently listed species will stay on Florida's single state list until management plans are created and a status review is conducted to determine if they should remain on the list.