The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) heard draft rules for endangered and threatened species in Florida at the meeting in Clewiston last Wednesday. After listening to the proposed rules and comments from 16 stakeholders, the Commission directed staff to finalize the draft rules and bring them back for final approval at the February or April meeting. “I really believe we’re almost there; we’ve got a great working relationship with stakeholders, and staff has done a tremendous job during this very long process,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Let’s take our time and get it right.”

Florida’s proposed list of imperiled species would include all federally listed endangered and threatened species that occur in Florida. In addition, the imperiled list would have a single category list of species that are determined to be at risk of extinction using globally recognized listing criteria. The draft rules concentrate on the conservation of imperiled species, requiring the writing of management plans for each species on the list. The management plans provide conservation goals, objectives and actions, which will ensure no species goes extinct in Florida.

“We have worked extensively with stakeholders in crafting the draft rules,” said Dr. Elsa Haubold, leader of the imperiled species listing process team. “But we still have some issues that we need to address in order to achieve the best possible rules.” The FWC will continue to work with stakeholders as they have for the past two years during the process of developing the final draft rules. Stakeholders also continue to work with each other on finding compromises between conservation, recreation and commercial concerns.

“We still have the commitment and desire to work out the issues that are unresolved,” said Laurie Macdonald of Defenders of Wildlife. “Let’s get back to fundamentals with the rules, and let’s make it right.” The stakeholders who spoke at the Commission meeting praised FWC staff for working so diligently with them to come up with the best rules for Florida’s fish and wildlife and stressed their commitment to continue working on the rules. “These rules will be here long after we’re gone from this earth,” said Byron Maharry from the Florida Sportsmen’s Conservation Association, Everglades Coordinating Council and the Florida Airboat Association. “It has to be in language that will withstand the test of time, like the Constitution does. Proof of the pudding will be in the management plans, just like what happened with manatees.”