March 2022

8:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 2nd

1. Call to Order
   1. Call to Order
   2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
2. Administrative Matters
   1. Review and Approve December 2021 Commission Meeting Minutes
   2. Approve Regular Meeting Agenda
   3. Approve Consent Agenda
      Details for all consent agenda items are listed at the end of this document. Any questions or concerns about a consent agenda item should be addressed to agency staff prior to the Commission meeting. Any item not approved as part of the consent agenda may be moved to the regular agenda or postponed at the discretion of the Chairman.
3. Executive Director’s Report
   Executive Director's Report
4. Featured Artist Recognition

BREAK

5. Staff Reports
   1. Landscape Conservation Initiative. Staff will present an update on the Landscape Conservation Strategic Initiative and its connection to the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act. This item will include a panel discussion on large-scale wildlife habitat conservation opportunities in Florida.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | Panel Bios

BREAK

2. Federal Congressional Update. This item will provide an update on fisheries and wildlife legislation before the U.S. Congress. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 30 minutes.
   Summary Memo | Presentation
3. Deepwater Horizon Update. Staff will provide an overview of the status of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill restoration activities. This presentation will include an overview of the associated funding streams, a status update on the natural resource funding coming to the state, and highlight work done for beach nesting birds, recreational fishing and boating access, and Apalachicola river and bay watershed. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 30 minutes.
   Summary Memo | Presentation

ANTICIPATED LUNCH BREAK

6. Items Requiring Action
   1. Final Rule – Commercial Aquaculture of Florida Largemouth Bass. Staff will propose final rule language and describe cooperative enforcement protocols between FWC and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (FDACS) related to recent statutory changes in F.S. 597.004 that were coordinated with Commission staff regarding current prohibitions of the aquaculture and sale of Florida largemouth bass as food in Florida. Staff will request approval to publish the proposed final rules and file for adoption without further hearing, unless requested. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | Genetic Authentication | 68A-23.009
   2. Final Rule – Hunting Rules for 2022 – 2023. Staff will present final rule amendments revising select statewide hunting regulations and specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas, Wildlife and Environmental Areas, and Miscellaneous Areas to accomplish management objectives and to conform hunting dates to calendar year date changes. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | 68A-1.004 | 68A-9.004 | 68A-12.001 | 68A-12.003 | 68A-12.004 | 68A-12.010 | 68A-13.001 | 68A-13.003 | 68A-13.004 | 68A-15.004 | 68A-15.006 | 68A-15.061 | 68A-15.062 | 68A-15.063 | 68A-15.064 | 68A-15.065 | 68A-17.004 | 68A-17.005
   3. Proposed Rules Relating to Nonnative Species. Staff will provide an update on nonnative fish and wildlife management efforts and the progress of the Nonnative Fish and Wildlife technical assistance group. Staff will also seek approval to amend three components of Chapter 68-5, F.A.C., as requested by stakeholders. The proposed rule changes would create a process for deviations from the nonnative fish and wildlife containment provisions, consistent with the captive wildlife rules. The second proposed rule would allow transfer of a personal pet permit to a beneficiary upon the death of the original owner. The third proposed rule would allow for limited public contact with prohibited reptiles during indoor exhibition. Staff are requesting approval to publish the proposed rules and, if approved, will return for final hearing at a future commission meeting. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | Application | 68-5.001 | 68-5.007
   4. Proposed Rule – Statewide Alligator Harvest Program. Staff will present proposed rule amendments to allow authorized alligator hunt participants to use pre-charged pneumatic air guns propelling only arrows attached to a restraining line as a legal method of take and take alligators 24 hours per day during statewide alligator harvest season dates. The proposed rule amendments would provide more flexibility to permitted alligator hunters. If approved, staff will return to a future Commission Meeting for final hearing. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | 68A-25.042
7. Recess Wednesday’s portion of the meeting no later than 6:00 p.m.

8:30 a.m., Thursday, March 3rd

8. Call to Order
9. Item Requiring Action
   1. Final Rule – Goliath Grouper. Staff will present a final rule proposal for a limited, highly regulated harvest of goliath grouper. This proposal includes a special opportunity for harvest through a lottery draw, while enacting area and seasonal closures, size and gear restrictions, and post-harvest requirements. Additionally, staff will provide considerations for future rulemaking related to addressing catch-and-release fishing for goliath at spawning aggregations sites in Atlantic state waters as directed by the Commission. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | 68B-14.005 | 68B-14.008 | 68B-14.0035 | 68B-14.0036 | 68B-14.0039 | 68B-14.0091 | 68B-14.00355 | Notice of Change
   2. Final Rule – Dolphinfish. Staff request approval to modify recreational bag and vessel limits for dolphinfish in Atlantic state waters as well as clarify that captain and crew are prohibited from retaining a daily bag and possession limit of dolphin in Florida. The final rule would reduce the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 fish per person, and the private recreational vessel limit from 60 to 30 fish in Atlantic state waters.
      Summary Memo | Presentation | 68B-41.002 | 68B-41.004
10. Staff Reports
    1. Redfish Management Approach. Staff will present recommendations for a revised redfish management approach that incorporates additional metrics, like habitat, and new management regions. The presentation will also include a summary of stakeholder input gathered through multiple engagement efforts, including statewide public workshops, that was used to inform staff recommendations. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 1 hour.
       Summary Memo | Presentation
    2. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) Report. Staff will report on actions and discussions from the GMFMC’s January 24-27 meeting. Expected topics include king mackerel, gag grouper, vermilion snapper, and the commercial IFQ program. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 30 minutes.
       Summary Memo | Presentation
11. Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda
    Public comment on items not on the agenda will be limited to no more than 3 hours.
12. Future Agenda Items
13. Commissioner Exchange
14. Adjournment
    The next Commission Meeting is scheduled for May 4 – 5, 2022, commencing at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Consent Agenda
Any questions about consent agenda items should be addressed to agency staff prior to the Commission meeting.

1. Proposed Final Rule – Dutchman Key Private Submerged Land Seagrass Protection Boating Restricted Area. Staff request approval of proposed final rule language to establish external propeller limitation zones and a slow speed minimum wake area near Dutchman Key in Pasco County. The external propeller limitation zone would encompass 96 acres of private submerged lands which qualify for seagrass protection. This area would be bisected by a slow speed minimum wake zone to allow vessels to safely navigate through the external propeller limitation zone without causing seagrass scarring. The resulting boating restricted areas will be in effect year-round.
   NOTE: Staff is requesting Commission approval to advertise the proposed rule and file for adoption as soon as possible. If the rule is approved for final adoption, Commission staff will file the rule as allowed by s. 120.54(3), Florida Statutes, without further public hearing.
   Summary Memo | 68D-24.0041
2. Proposed Final Rule – Box Turtle species name change. Staff request approval to revise rule language to reflect recent taxonomic changes for box turtles (genus Terrapene). The Florida box turtle (Terrapene bauri) was once considered a subspecies of the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) but is now widely accepted as a separate species. The proposed rule updates the species name, with no change to the status or regulations for the species.
   NOTE: Staff is requesting Commission approval to advertise the proposed rule amendment and file for adoption as soon as possible. If the rule is approved for final adoption, Commission staff will file the rule as allowed by s. 120.54(3), Florida Statutes, without further public hearing.
   Summary Memo | 68A-25.002
3. Final Rule – Shrimp. Over the last few years, FWC has undertaken a long-term project to modernize and streamline shrimp regulations. These final rules are the third and final phase of this project. The amendments will cover recreational shrimp regulations for the Big Bend, commercial use of high-salinity freezer tanks for food shrimp as well as updates and clarifications.
   Summary Memo | 68B-31.003 | 68B-31.006 | 68B-31.007 | 68B-31.008 | 68B-31.009 | 68B-31.017 | 68B-31.018 | 68B-31.0035