Changes to quota system being recommended

Changes to quota system being recommended

NOVEMBER 19 - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff will present draft recommendations for improving the Wildlife Management Area Quota Hunt Permit Program at the Commission’s next meeting, Dec. 3 in Key West.

These proposed rule changes address several issues, including permit transferability, guest permits and other changes to the current program. If approved in concept, rules will be considered for final adoption at the Commission’s February meeting in Destin and would become effective for the 2009-10 hunting season.

For more than a year, a Quota Hunt Stakeholders Working Group, consisting of FWC staff and members of the hunting public, met to review the current quota permit system. Public meetings also were held throughout the state, and much input was received on how to make the quota permit system better.

Results of the working group’s findings and recommendations can be viewed at www.consensus.fsu.edu/FWC/quotahunt.html.

The working group believes changes are needed to the quota permit system that can have a positive effect on hunter recruitment and retention and will distribute public hunting opportunities more fairly. FWC staff considered the working group’s recommendations and are presenting proposed rule changes to the Commission that include many of these recommendations.

A complete summary of the proposed rule changes and an online comment form are available in the Contact FWC section of MyFWC.com.