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FWC postpones vote on manatee
management plan, reclassification
September 12, 2007
Contact: Henry Cabbage (850) 528-1755
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) postponed a decision Wednesday to adopt a new
management plan and two rules to reclassify manatees from
endangered to threatened.
Commissioners had planned to take final action
on the proposals during their Sept. 12 session, but Gov. Charlie
Crist, in a Sept. 10 letter to FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto,
asked for the postponement. Crist expressed concern that three
FWC commissioners have just begun their terms and may need more
time to evaluate manatee issues.
"We’ll get with the governor and address his
concerns,” Barreto said.
New commissioners Dwight Stephenson, Ron
Bergeron and Kenneth Wright said they will make every effort to
be prepared to vote on the issue by the FWC’s December meeting
in Key Largo. |
