Request for Information

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking your input on how bald eagles, manatees, gopher tortoises, and Panama City crayfish should be managed. Your input will help shape the development of our management plans for each of these species. The development of the management plans constitutes Phase 2 of the FWC imperiled species listing process (Rule 68A-27.0012 F.A.C.).

Phase 1 of the listing process for these species was completed on June 7, 2006, when the FWC determined that the following status changes were warranted:

• the Panama City crayfish (Procambarus econfinae) should be reclassified from species of special concern to threatened,
• the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), currently listed as threatened, should be removed from Florida’s imperiled species list,
• the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) should be reclassified from species of special concern to threatened, and
• the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) should be reclassified from endangered to threatened.

These determinations concluded Phase 1 of the FWC’s imperiled species listing process for these species. The status reclassifications will not occur until Phase 2 of the listing process (development and approval of a management plan for each species) is completed.

Please note, this means that the Panama City crayfish remains a Species of Special Concern, the bald eagle remains Threatened, the gopher tortoise remains a Species of Special Concern, and the manatee remains Endangered until the management plan is approved for each species.

To assist in management plan development for each of the species, the Commission requests information on their conservation needs and any economic and social factors that should be considered in managing them in Florida. The Commission also is seeking information regarding state, local, or regional rules or ordinances that reference FWC species listing categories. The FWC Management Plan Template  will be followed by each of the teams working on the four plans. We suggest that the template can be used to guide input that you provide. If there are topics not included in the template that you believe should be, please provide that information as well.

Comments should be received by 5:00 pm August 8, 2006 to:

Bald Eagle –

Bald Eagle Management Plan Comments, DHSC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 1O, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

Gopher Tortoise –

Gopher Tortoise Management Plan Comments, DHSC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 1O, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

Panama City Crayfish –

Panama City Crayfish Management Plan Comments, DHSC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 1O, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

Florida Manatee –

Manatee Management Plan Comments, DHSC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 6A, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600 or can be submitted by email to manatee_plan@myfwc.com.

Special notice: With respect to the Commission’s decision to reclassify the species’ referenced above pursuant to Phase 1 of the listing process (Rule 68A-27.0012, F.A.C.), any person who asserts that his or her substantial interests are affected by the FWC decision as to Phase 1 may request a special evidentiary hearing (known as a “draw-out”) pursuant to section 120.54(3) (c) 2, F.S. and Rule 28-103.005, Florida Administrative Code. Requests for this hearing should be sent to: Mr. James V. Antista, General Counsel, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 1 F, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600 by 5:00 p.m., by August 8, 2006.