NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

October 22, 1997

CONTACT: Lt. Jim Huffstodt (561) 625-5122

WIN A DREAM TRIP AND HELP SAVE A LAKE

WEST PALM BEACH--Florida sportsmen have the opportunity to win a turkey hunting and bass fishing trip of a lifetime, and help save an endangered lake in the process.

A silent auction for the trip package is one effort by the Lake Trafford Task Force and the Wildlife Foundation of Fla., Inc. (WFF) to raise money for a projected $7-10 million restoration of the 1,500-acre lake, 30 miles northeast of Naples in Collier County.

Frank Morello, a fisheries biologist with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FWC), is the Division of Freshwater Fisheries representative on the task force. He describes the hunting-fishing trip package as a rare opportunity for sportsmen.

"The package is a community effort," Morello said. "The trip is being donated by Rex Properties, Lake Trafford Conservation Club, Lake Trafford Marina, Airboat Experience and the Seminole Indian Casino."

The prize trip includes:

--a wild turkey hunt on Lake Trafford Ranch for the prized

Osceola turkey, the most coveted of the wild turkey sub-species.

--a guided fishing trip on Lake Trafford for largemouth bass, provided by Ski Olesky, local fish camp operator and guide.

--an airboat tour of the Lake Trafford shoreline provided by Airboat Experience.

"The winner of the silent auction will have the opportunity to see wild Florida up close and personal," Morello said. "The Lake Trafford Ranch abuts the shore of Lake Trafford and is part of the Big Cypress wilderness system.

"This beautiful patch of old Florida is rich in wildlife," he said. "This is home to the endangered snail kite, the bald eagle, a variety of herons and egrets, the occasional black bear and even a few of the remaining endangered Florida panthers."

Organizers asked that auction participants make a minimum $20 donation which will be deposited in the WFF. All monies will help fund the projected Lake Trafford restoration.

To obtain bid forms and rules, interested individuals should mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Lake Trafford Restoration, Fisheries Division, Everglades Regional Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 8535 Northlake Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33412.

"Lake Trafford is especially important because it is the single natural lake located south of Lake Okeechobee," Morello said. "Over the years we have, however, seen a gradual degradation of the water quality and fish and wildlife habitat associated with the lake.

"This decline has been evident in the form of severe algae blooms and major fish kills," he said. "The Lake Trafford Task Force is dedicated to restoring the lake to its natural state by dredging and removing approximately 8 million cubic yards of muck. This would be the most extensive lake restoration project ever undertaken by the FWC.