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FWC Commissioners approve draft bald
eagle management plan
Sept. 12, 2007
Contact: Beth Scott, (850) 251-3970
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) approved the bald eagle revised draft
management plan Wednesday, giving staff the go-ahead to begin
work on a final draft.
The second comment period on the plan will end
on Friday, and FWC staff will revise the plan to reflect
comments received and will bring the plan up for its final
hearing and approval at a future meeting.
Policy changes outlined in the draft management
plan include regulation of a buffer zone around nests and
requirements for permitting activities that violate guidelines
described in the permitting framework of the draft plan.
The plan proposes adoption of a new rule to
protect bald eagles and incorporates U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service bald eagle guidelines.
The FWC is moving to delist the species because
of the increased number of bald eagles in Florida over the past
few decades. The goal of the management plan is to maintain a
stable or increasing bald eagle population throughout Florida.
The bald eagle still is classified as threatened
by the FWC and will not be delisted until the management plan,
developed with public input, is approved by FWC Commissioners.
The draft management plan will ensure the bald eagle continues
to be protected and thrive in Florida. The bald eagle also will
remain protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and
the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. |
