World-class fishing, crystal blue waters, endless sunshine – there’s so much about Florida’s waterways to enjoy. During the week of March 19-25, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourage all boaters to take part in the national “Spring Aboard” campaign by taking a boating safety course.
“We know that an educated boater is safer on the water. If a boat operator has taken a boating safety education course, the likelihood of their time spent on the water being a safe and enjoyable experience is much greater for them as well as their passengers,” said Stephanie Weatherington, president of NASBLA. “March is the perfect time to take a course before the summer boating season begins.”
Many course providers will offer incentives or course discounts for students who enroll in or complete a course during the “Spring Aboard” campaign. For a summary of Florida’s regulations and available courses, go to MyFWC.com/Boating.
“In Florida, boaters who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1980, are required to complete and pass a boater safety education course. But everyone interested in boating should take a course – it’s the smart thing to do,” said Maj. Robert Rowe, FWC’s Boating and Waterways section leader. “Boaters have many ways to get educated, from classroom courses offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons to online offerings available anytime day or night. There’s no reason to head out on the water without this knowledge.”
Florida boating accident statistics from 2015 indicate that, when the level of operator education was known, 72 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction.
About NASBLA
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The association offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, NASBLA affects the lives of over 73.5 million American boaters.
MyFWC
Florida’s spring turkey season provides one of the most special opportunities in country
March 4 marks the opening of Florida’s spring turkey season on private lands south of State Road 70, one of the first opportunities in the country for hunters to pursue this impressive game bird. Florida turkey hunting is unique for another reason. It’s also the only place in the world where the Osceola subspecies of wild turkey is found. Also known as the Florida wild turkey, this subspecies lives only on the Florida peninsula. It’s similar to the eastern wild turkey subspecies, which is found in north Florida and throughout the eastern United States, but tends to be smaller and darker with less white barring on the wings.
Hunting wild turkeys is popular in Florida and throughout North America. One reason people enjoy it is the range of calls wild turkeys make. The most recognized call is gobbling, which is most often associated with male birds, or gobblers, during spring when they breed. The gobbler will fan out its tail, puff out its feathers, strut and gobble to attract hens. Hunters pursue this wary bird by imitating various turkey calls to bring gobblers in close. Getting to see a male wild turkey’s courtship ritual is a thrill for new hunters as well as those with years of experience.
For those lucky enough to harvest a gobbler, another benefit of turkey hunting is the meat provides a delicious and clean-eating alternative that’s leaner than store-bought birds.
“Spring turkey hunting provides a great opportunity for those who want a better understanding of where their food comes from and are interested in locally sourced protein that’s free of growth hormones, preservatives and antibiotics,” said Roger Shields, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Wild Turkey Management Program coordinator. “Another benefit of turkey hunting is the chance to get away from it all, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of springtime in the woods, and enjoy the challenge of trying to call in a gobbler.”
Wild turkeys are an amazing conservation success story in Florida and across North America. They had almost disappeared by the turn of the 20th century, with populations remaining only in remote pockets of habitat. However, thanks to science-based wildlife restoration efforts, today Osceola and eastern wild turkeys are flourishing throughout the state.
FWC wildlife professionals use scientific data to conserve wild turkey populations and provide regulated and sustainable hunting opportunities. Hunters and target shooters also play an important role in wild turkey restoration and management by contributing to the successful Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR).
“When hunters purchase firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, they support the hunting and shooting sports industry, which pays into WSFR resulting in millions of dollars for wildlife conservation to each state,” said Diane Eggeman, FWC’s Hunting and Game Management Division director. “When hunters purchase a Florida hunting license, they play a major role in this program because the amount of WSFR funding that comes back to our state for wildlife management depends on the number of hunting licenses issued. So we are always grateful to the shooting sports industry and each and every licensed hunter for their steadfast support of wildlife conservation in Florida.”
North of State Road 70, Florida’s spring turkey season on private lands opens March 18. Florida’s wildlife management area system also offers opportunities for turkey hunters, and because dates and regulations can vary, hunters are encouraged to review the regulations brochure for the WMA they plan to hunt. This year, Florida is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its WMA system. Florida’s WMA system, currently one of the largest in the country at nearly 6 million acres, has been a treasured piece of Florida’s hunting tradition since its establishment in 1941.
Get a snapshot of Florida’s wild turkey season dates and bag limits by visiting MyFWC.com/hunting and clicking “Season Dates.” Learn more about wild turkeys by choosing “Species Profiles” at MyFWC.com/wildlifehabitats.
People can help nesting sea turtles!
Green Turtle Nesting
Photo courtesy of FWC
March is the beginning of Florida’s sea turtle nesting season, when female sea turtles leave the ocean to dig nests and lay golf ball-size eggs in the sand.
People can help sea turtles that nest on Florida’s beaches at night by leaving the beach as natural as possible. To do this, beachgoers should remove beach furniture and other obstacles before sunset each day.
“Anyone spending time on Florida’s beaches can do something to help save Florida’s threatened and endangered sea turtles. People’s actions on the beach can have a positive impact on whether our loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles nest successfully,” said Dr. Robbin Trindell, who leads the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) sea turtle management program.
“Whether you are a resident or a visitor, remember to take beach furniture, boats and canopies off Florida’s sandy beaches at night so these items won’t block sea turtles attempting to nest,” Trindell said. “When departing at the end of the day, beach visitors should fill any holes dug in the sand so nesting and hatchling turtles don’t become trapped. Please be careful not to disturb nesting sea turtles by getting too close, shining lights on them or taking flash photos.”
At this time of year, FWC-authorized marine turtle permit holders and volunteers begin their annual ritual too – walking beaches in the morning to look for “crawls” resembling tire tracks. Crawls indicate a sea turtle has landed and nested on a beach the previous night. On some of the beaches, nests are marked with a yellow sign and plastic tape, since sea turtles and their eggs are protected. This monitoring continues through October, the official end of sea turtle nesting season.
Exactly when sea turtle nesting season starts depends on where you are in Florida. While it begins in March on the Atlantic coast, it starts later in the spring, in late April or May, along the Gulf coast. Yet wherever you are in the state, what you do on the beach can make a significant difference on whether sea turtles nest successfully.
In the 2016 sea turtle nesting season, more than 120,000 loggerhead nests, more than 5,000 green turtle nests and over 1,000 leatherback nests were documented by the FWC. With Florida hosting nearly 90 percent of loggerhead nests within this species’ northern Atlantic Ocean population, the state plays an important role in its conservation.
You can help sea turtles by reporting those that are sick, injured, entangled or dead to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline, 888-404-FWCC (3922), #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone, or text [email protected]. Purchase of a “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” Florida license plate at Buyaplate.com contributes to sea turtle research, rescue and conservation efforts. People also can donate $5 and receive an FWC sea turtle decal.
Go to MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle for information on Florida’s sea turtles and how to get decals, and click on “Research,” then “Nesting” for more data on sea turtle nesting.
FWC continues seagrass research and conservation with new status report
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) continues its conservation of valuable seagrass beds in Florida’s coastal waters with a second edition of its statewide report.
Scientists and collaborators from agencies across Florida, including researchers with the Seagrass Integrated Mapping and Monitoring Program of the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, published new information this month on seagrass health and status. Each of the 23 regional chapters includes color-coded status reports of seagrass health, as well as maps of the distribution of seagrass beds in each estuary or subregion.
More than 40 scientists from agencies across Florida work to map and monitor seagrasses statewide and report assessments of seagrass health online.
Using available data, researchers estimated there are approximately 2.5 million acres of seagrass in estuaries and nearshore waters of Florida. These are the largest beds of seagrasses found in the continental United States. Florida seagrass beds are extremely valuable marine habitats. Many economically important fish and shellfish species depend on seagrass beds for their survival. Seagrasses provide food and shelter for endangered mammals and turtles, and also play a vital role in the ecosystem.
The seagrass monitoring program was developed in 2009 to protect and manage seagrasses in Florida by providing a collaborative resource for seagrass mapping, monitoring and data sharing. The statewide report provides a summary of the status of seagrasses in Florida.
The report’s second edition was funded by grants from the FWC’s State Wildlife Grants Program and the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Seagrass Integrated Mapping and Monitoring Program’s statewide report and copies of individual regional chapters can be downloaded by going to MyFWC.com/Research, clicking “Habitat,” then “Seagrasses,” “Seagrass Projects” and “Active Projects.”
FWC announces final opportunity for municipalities, counties to apply for derelict vessel removal funds
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the final 2016/2017 opportunity to apply for derelict vessel removal funds. The application period began Feb. 8, 2017, and will run on a first-come, first-served basis. Approximately $399,000 in remaining derelict vessel removal funds are available to state, county and city governments. Applications received after April 30, 2017, will not be eligible for consideration. The Commission Derelict Vessel Final Removal Funding Opportunity Program application and guidelines may be downloaded at MyFWC.com/DVGrant.
Funds for removal of derelict vessels that meet the requirements may be applied for at any time during this opportunity period. Applications will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until all available funds have been expended or until April 30, 2017, whichever comes first. Applicants should call the FWC Boating and Waterways Section at 850-617-9540 to determine available funding before mailing or emailing an application.
Projects must be executed immediately upon receipt of an approved purchase order. Payment will be issued upon completion of the closeout requirements in the Commission Derelict Vessel Final Removal Funding Opportunity Program Guidelines.
Florida panther population estimate updated
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have updated the estimated number of endangered Florida panthers in their breeding range south of the Caloosahatchee River.
The updated population estimate is 120 to 230 adult and subadult Florida panthers, according to a February 2017 report from the agencies collaborating on conservation and recovery efforts. The previous Florida panther population estimate was 100 to 180 adult and subadult panthers in 2014. These population estimates do not include kittens, which are still dependent on their mothers.
The panther population report is available on FloridaPantherNet.org.
The report emphasizes both the importance and difficulty in obtaining accurate panther population estimates, which is similar to estimating other puma populations in western states. Currently, Florida scientists are evaluating several methods to refine their ability to estimate the panther population size, including the use of trail cameras and panther road mortality data. The current numbers, developed jointly by USFWS and FWC scientists, use annual counts of panthers primarily conducted on public lands. Density of panthers on these areas is then multiplied across the larger area that makes up the primary breeding range in south Florida. Although there are some panthers outside of this range in south Florida and in areas north of the Caloosahatchee River, they are primarily dispersing males and do not significantly contribute to the breeding population.
“This latest Florida panther population estimate is good news, an indication that conservation efforts are on track in helping recover this endangered animal,” said Kipp Frohlich, FWC’s Deputy Director for the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. “In the 1970s and 1980s, it was estimated only 20 to 30 panthers remained in Florida.”
Larry Williams, the USFWS’s Florida State Supervisor of Ecological Services, believes the new numbers indicate things are trending in the right direction — due in part to a strong partnership with the state of Florida.
“Continued recovery will require a long-term concerted effort by many partners committed to finding common-sense solutions that balance many different and competing interests, yet are grounded in a shared purpose of conserving the lands that support Florida’s native wildlife and its ranching heritage,” Williams said.
The public is encouraged to report sightings of panthers or their tracks, and in particular photos, to MyFWC.com/PantherSightings to help with panther research and management. Biologists are especially interested in pictures of panthers north of the Caloosahatchee River, which runs from Lake Okeechobee to Fort Myers.
Floridians also can help panther conservation efforts by purchasing the “Protect a Panther” vehicle tag from local tax collector’s offices.
Snook to reopen in Gulf waters
The recreational harvest season for one of Florida’s premier fish, snook, reopens March 1 in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico state and adjacent federal waters, including Everglades National Park and Monroe County. The season will remain open through April 30.
In the Gulf, anglers may keep one snook per day that is not less than 28 inches or more than 33 inches total length, which is measured from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed while the fish is lying on its side. A snook permit is required to keep snook, along with a saltwater fishing license unless exempt from the license requirements. Only hook-and-line gear is allowed when targeting or harvesting snook.
Anglers can report their catch on the Snook & Gamefish Foundation’s website at Snookfoundation.org by clicking on the “Angler Action Program” link in the bar at the top of the page.
It is illegal to buy or sell snook.
Snook are one of the many reasons Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages anglers to use moderation when determining whether or not to take a snook home during the open season. When choosing to release a fish, the FWC encourages anglers to handle it carefully to help the fish survive upon release. Proper handling methods can help ensure the species’ abundance for anglers today and generations to come. To learn more about fish handling, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Fish Handling.”
Researchers ask anglers who harvest the fish to save their filleted carcasses and provide them to the FWC by dropping them off at a participating bait and tackle store. For the county-by-county list, go to MyFWC.com/Research and click on “Saltwater,” then “Snook” (under “Saltwater Fish”) and “Snook Anglers Asked to Help with Research.”
These carcasses provide biological data, including the size, age, maturity and sex of the catch. This information is important to the FWC in completing stock assessments. If you see a snook fishery violation, call the Wildlife Alert Program at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
In Atlantic state and federal waters (including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River) the season is open through May 31, and one snook may be kept per person, per day. The size limit in Atlantic waters is no less than 28 inches total length and no more than 32 inches total length.
For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook.”
FWC encouraged by 2017 manatee survey
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported a preliminary count of 6,620 manatees in Florida waters. A team of 15 observers from 10 organizations counted 3,488 manatees on Florida’s east coast and 3,132 on the west coast of the state. The FWC is encouraged by a third straight year of a minimum count higher than 6,000 manatees in Florida waters.
Researchers conduct synoptic surveys annually, weather permitting, to count manatees that are visible in Florida waters at the time of the survey. These surveys are conducted after a cold front and cover all of the known winter habitats of manatees in Florida. This year’s counts were aided by warm, sunny weather with low winds and good visibility.
“Successful conservation of manatees is a product of the commitment made by many different organizations over multiple decades. The relatively high counts we have seen for the past three years underscore the importance of warm water habitat to manatees in Florida. The FWC will continue to work diligently with our many partners to ensure the long-term viability of these habitats and the well-being of the manatee population,” said Gil McRae, FWC biologist and head of FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
Aerial surveys provide information about manatee distribution throughout the state. Manatees use warm water sites, like springs and power plant discharges, during the winter. Sustaining adequate winter habitat for manatees remains a statewide conservation goal and a key factor in the long-term recovery of manatees.
FWC biologists, managers and law enforcement staff work closely with partners to evaluate current data and identify necessary actions to protect this iconic animal. Florida has invested more than $2 million annually for manatee conservation, and the FWC will work toward continued success for manatees in our state.
You can support manatee research and conservation by purchasing a manatee license plate at BuyaPlate.com and a manatee decal at MyFWC.com/ManateeSeaTurtleDecals.
For more information about manatees and synoptic surveys, visit MyFWC.com/Research and click on “Florida Manatee.” To report a dead or distressed manatee, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Record number of students to compete in statewide archery tournament Feb. 25 in Bartow
More than a thousand students are registered to compete in the 2017 Florida National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament, a record number of participants for this increasingly popular event. The statewide archery tournament, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), will be held Feb. 25 in Bartow. Admission is free for spectators.
The National Archery in the Schools Program is a cooperative effort between the FWC and the Florida Department of Education that teaches international style target archery in fourth-12th grade physical education classes. More than 470 Florida schools offer NASP, which covers archery history, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration and self-improvement.
“Archery is a very inclusive activity for students. Boys and girls from a wide range of ages, skill levels and physical abilities can participate and succeed,” said Steve Robbins, coordinator for the statewide tournament. “Archery provides some obvious benefits such as helping to build muscle endurance, flexibility, hand-eye coordination, and grip and body strength. It also teaches discipline, respect and self-control.”
The 10th annual Florida NASP State Tournament will be conducted in two formats: a live tournament that will take place Feb. 25 at Carver Recreation Center, 520 Idlewood Ave. S., Bartow, and a virtual tournament for schools whose students cannot travel. The virtual tournament allows students to shoot for a score at their own school and enter the results in a digital database that compares virtual and live tournament scores.
Winners will be announced in three divisions: elementary, middle and high school. Trophies will be awarded to the top three schools in each division and the top boy and girl shooter in each division. In addition, a top overall male and female shooter will be recognized and presented with a Genesis bow. Every student participating in the live and virtual tournament will receive a T-shirt and a certificate.
In addition to the competition, there will be activities for competitors and spectators attending this free event, including an outdoor aerial archery game. For competing student shooters who wish to participate, there is an additional 3-D archery range competition with prizes, including bows provided by Bear Archery.
For more information about NASP, visit MyFWC.com/NASP.
Join the photo contest celebrating 75 years of Florida’s Wildlife Management Areas!
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) today is launching its 75 Years Wild photo contest encouraging people to explore the natural beauty of Florida’s Wildlife Management Area system.
Across the state, the nearly 6-million acre WMA system is conserving fish and wildlife populations and offering outdoor recreation for the public, including fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing. On the WMAs, the public also has access to nationally recognized trails for paddling, hiking and bird watching.
Join the WMAs’ 75th anniversary celebration and discover these areas’ diversity of wildlife and habitats while taking WMA photos for the 75 Years Wild photo contest. Just remember to respect wildlife by not getting too close to or disturbing birds or other animals you encounter.
The photo contest has four themes, based on the seasons. To enter, visit the FWC’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/MyFWC, look for a photo contest Facebook post and then post your photo in the Comments section. Photos also can be entered via an Instagram account by tagging #WMAzing. For those who don’t use social media, send an email to [email protected]. The photo contest grand-prize winner will receive a GoPro camera, and other prizes will be awarded to semi-finalists.
For complete WMA photo contest rules, go to MyFWC.com/WMA 75. There you also will find more on the WMA 75th anniversary celebration, including the calendar of upcoming events and “how to find a WMA near you.”
