Public Comment Period for Revised Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is seeking input on draft revisions to the Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines. The draft Guidelines and more information can be found at: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise.

 

These guidelines provide a comprehensive overview of FWC’s gopher tortoise permitting system, which was developed as one tool to aid in accomplishing the goals and objectives set forth in FWC’s Gopher Tortoise Management Plan that was approved in September 2012.

 

Summary of revisions since the 2017 revision:

• Clarified text and definitions
• Changed disturbed site permit mitigation
• Changed After Action Reporting timeframe from 30 days from release to 45 days from date of capture
• Added maximum time of 120 hours for notification of capture activities
• Added new activities and renewal criteria for Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent permits
• Extended duration of Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent permits from 2 years to 4 years
• Revised how many times a Registered Agent can apply for permits in a 12-month period
• Revised calculations for determining stocking rates on recipient sites
• Clarified that burrow surveys conducted on donor (development) sites should be pedestrian surveys, but can be ATV surveys if FWC is notified in advance and conducts site visit to confirm results
• Changed land use classification and depth to water table data requirements for permit applications
• Added ponding frequency to recipient site criteria
• Limited recipient site capacity reservations to 75% burrow occupancy for donor site
• Updated Appendix 1 to include new rule language
• Revised marking scheme to account for > 3999 tortoises released at recipient sites (Appendix 5)
• Revised methods and reporting requirements, including duration, for monitoring recipient sites (Appendix 7)
• Updated guidance when encountering commensals during permitted activities (Appendix 9)
• Updated FWC contact information (Appendix 10)
• Revised habitat suitability criteria for relocating gopher tortoises on-site under 10 or Fewer Burrow permits (Appendix 11)
• Added criteria for Scientific Collecting permits for proposed research, waif tortoises and educational activities that involve gopher tortoises (Appendix 14)
• Revised infraction process (Appendix 15)

Webinars during the public comment period

Key information included in the Guidelines will be presented at two public webinars.  The webinars also offer an opportunity to ask questions.  Each webinar will offer the same information.  Participation in the webinar will require access to a computer AND access to a telephone. Those that do not have computer access can listen in on the phone. 

Webinars can be viewed online at http://fwc.adobeconnect.com/species/

Audio is available by calling 888-585-9008, enter conference room # 503-621-799.

Webinars are scheduled for the following dates:

• Monday, May 18th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET)
• Tuesday, May 19th from 8:30am to 10:30am (ET)

How to Comment

Draft guidelines are available online at: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise

Written comments will be accepted between April 20th and May 20th, 2020. Please submit comments via https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6RWQ5RD. If you would like to comment but are unable to do so in the specified timeframe, or if you require an alternate format in which to comment or review the draft Guidelines, please contact Katherine Gentry at Katherine.Gentry@MyFWC.com