The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to enable the agency to better ...

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

68A-17.005Specific Regulations for Wildlife and Environmental Areas

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WEAs.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule amendment would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) as follows:

North Central Region

Lafayette Forest WEA – allow persons hunting during the April or June wild hog-dog season hunts on Mallory Swamp WMA to traverse Lafayette Forest WEA on McCalls Chapel Grade at night (from 1 ½ hours after sunset until 1 ½ hours before sunrise) with no requirement to possess a Special Use Authorization from the Suwannee River Water Management District.

Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The nature of the rule and the preliminary analysis conducted to determine whether a SERC was required.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution, Sections 379.2223, 375.313, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution, Sections 379.2223, 375.313, FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: During the Commission’s regular meeting February 20-21, 2019, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., each day.

PLACE: Best Western Gateway Grand, 4200 NW 97th Boulevard, Gainesville, FL 32606.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: the ADA Coordinator, at [phone]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Morgan Richardson, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600.

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

68A-17.005 Specific Regulations for Wildlife and Environmental Areas.

(1) Southwest Region.

(a) through (e) No change.

(f) Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area – Royce Unit – Highlands County.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – September 20-22 21-23 and October 11-13 12-14.

b. General gun – November 15-17 16-18.

c. Small game – December 6-8 7-9, 20-22 21-23, opening 3 days prior to the third Monday in January and closing 3 days thereafter and January 30 through February 2 1-3.

d. Wild hog-still – May 2-3 4-5 and 9-10 11-12.

e. Youth turkey hunt – March 14-15 9-10.

f. Spring turkey – March 21-23 16-18 and April 3-5 March 29-31.

g. No change.

2. through 3. No change.

(g) through (k) No change.

(2) North Central Region.

(a) Santa Fe Swamp – Bradford County.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – September 20 21 through October 18 19.

b. Muzzleloading gun – October 19-21 20-22.

c. Archery and muzzleloading gun – November 2 3 through December 29 30.

d. Spring turkey – March 21 16 through April 26 21.

e. through f. No change.

2. through 3. No change.

(b) Fort White Mitigation Park – Gilchrist County.

1. Open season:

a. Archery season – October 19-23 20-24, 26-30 27-31 and November 9-13 10-14.

b. Small game – November 14 15 through March 1 3.

c. Youth spring turkey – March 14-15 9-10.

d. Spring turkey – March 21-25 16-20 and March 28 through April 1 23-27.

e. through g. No change.

2. through 4. No change.

(c) Suwannee Ridge – Hamilton County.

1. Open season:

a. Mobility-impaired general gun – October 11-13 12-14, 25-27 26-28, November 1-3 2-4 and December 13-15 14-16.

b. Mobility-impaired spring turkey – March 27-29 22-24 and April 17-19 12-14.

2. through 3. No change.

(d) through (e) No change.

(f) Lafayette Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area.

1. Open seasons:

a. Archery season – September 21-25 22-26 and September 27 28 through October 1 2 and October 4-8 5-9.

b. Muzzleloading gun season – October 19-21 20-22.

c. Family hunt – November 2-3 3-4 and 9-10 10-11.

d. Wild hog-still – January 18-22 19-23 and 25-29 26-30.

e. Small game – November 11 12 through January 17 18 and January 30 31 through March 1 3.

f. Youth spring turkey – March 14-15 9-10.

g. Spring turkey – March 21-23 16-18 and 27-29 22-24.

h. through j. No change.

2. No change.

3. General regulations:

a. No change.

b. Public access is prohibited from 1.5 hours after sunset until 1.5 hours before sunrise except during small game season by persons hunting as specified in paragraph 68A-24.002(2)(b), F.A.C. and that persons hunting during the April or June wild hog-dog season hunts on Mallory Swamp WMA or in possession of with a Special Use Authorization from the Suwannee River Water Management District for Mallory Swamp Wildlife Management Area may traverse McCalls Chapel Grade.

c. through h. No change.

(g) Watermelon Pond Wildlife and Environmental Area.

1. Open seasons:

a. Archery season – October 12-20 13-21.

b. Small game – November 16 17 through December 1 2 and December 14 15 through January 5 6.

c. Youth spring turkey – March 14-15 9-10.

d. through g. No change.

2. through 3. No change.

(3) Northwest Region.

(a) through (b) No change.

(c) L. Kirk Edwards – Leon County.

1. Open seasons for that portion of the area west of Chaires Cross Road:

a. through c. No change.

d. Migratory game birds – Migratory game birds during seasons established in Rules 68A-13.003 and 68A-13.008, F.A.C.

e. No change.

2. Open seasons for that portion of the area east of Chaires Cross Road:

a. Archery – September 27-30, October 3-6, 17-20, 11-14 and October 31 through November 3 25-28.

b. Family hunt – November 7-10 1-4.

c. Archery and muzzleloading gun – November 28 22-25, November 29 through December 1, 2 and December 5-8 and 19-22 13-16.

d. Small game – November 9-27 10-21, 26-28, December 2-4, 9-18 3-12, and December 23 17 through March 1 3.

e. through h. No change.

3. through 4. No change.

(4) South Region.

(a) Southern Glades – Dade County.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – August 3 July 28 through September 1 August 26.

b. Muzzleloading gun – September 13-15 7-9.

c. General gun – September 21 15 through October 20 14 and November 25 through December 1 19-25.

d. Small game – December 2 November 26 through February 23 24.

e. through g. No change.

2. through 3. No change.

(b) John G. and Susan H. Dupuis Jr. – Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – September 13-15 7-9, 20-22 14-16 and 27-29 21-23.

b. Muzzleloading gun – October 11-13 5-7, 18-20 12-14 and 25-27 19-21.

c. General gun for mobility-impaired – November 2-3 October 27-28.

d. General gun – November 8-10 2-4 and 15-17 9-11.

e. Wild hog-still – Opening 9 days prior to Thanksgiving Day and ending 2 days thereafter, opening the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving Day and ending 2 days thereafter November 13-15, November 27-29, and opening the second Saturday in April and closing 8 days thereafter, and opening the second Saturday in May and closing 8 days thereafter.

f. Youth turkey hunt – February 29 through March 1 23-24.

g. Spring turkey – March 10-12 5-7, 20-22 15-17 and 27-29 22-24.

h. Small game – Opening the second Saturday following Thanksgiving Day and closing 50 days thereafter December 1 through January 20.

i. through j. No change.

2. through 4. No change.

(c) CREW – Collier and Lee Counties.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – August 10-18 4-12.

b. Muzzleloading gun – September 7-9 1-3.

c. General gun – November 23 through December 1 17-25.

d. Small game – December 7 through January 5 1-30.

e. Spring turkey – March 7-10 2-5 and 11-15 6-10.

f. through h. No change.

2. through 4. No change.

(d) No change.

(e) John C. and Mariana Jones/Hungryland – Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

1. Open season:

a. Archery – September 14-17 and 8-11, 21-24 15-18, September 28 22-25 and September 29 through October 1 2, and October 5-8.

b. Muzzleloading gun – October 19-21 13-15.

c. General gun – October 27-29, November 2-4, 9-11 3-5 and 16-18 10-12.

d. Small game – November 23 17 through the second Sunday in January.

e. Spring turkey – March 21 through April 5 16-31 (Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays only).

f. through h. No change.

2. through 4. No change.

(5) No change.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.2223, 375.313 FS. History–New 7-1-83, Amended 11-30-83, 7-1-84, 8-21-85, Formerly 39-17.05, Amended 6-1-86, 8-13-87, 8-18-88, 8-17-89, 4-11-90, 7-1-91, 10-31-91, 4-14-92, 4-20-93, 7-1-94, 9-15-94, 3-30-95, 8-15-95, 7-1-96, 4-3-97, 10-28-97, 7-1-98, 8-11-98, 7-1-99, Formerly 39-17.005, Amended 7-1-00, 5-1-01, 6-2-02, 5-25-03, 7-1-04, 7-1-05, 7-1-06, 7-1-07, 7-1-08, 1-6-09, 7-1-09, 10-29-09, 7-1-10, 7-1-11, 11-14-11, 7-1-12, 7-26-12, 7-1-13, 7-1-14, 7-2-14, 7-1-15, 7-29-15, 7-1-16, 7-1-17, 9-14-17, 7-1-18, 7-1-19.

 

PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE:  July 1, 2019

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Morgan Richardson, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: December 13, 2018

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: December 24, 2018