June 2007

Dear colleagues,

On Wednesday, June 13 the FWC Commissioners approved the draft policy for Incidental Take permits that will require relocation of tortoises for all IT permits issued after 30 July 2007. The commissioners heard extensive public comment and considered and discussed, but eventually rejected requests to eliminate the grandfathering of present permits, extend the grandfathering of present permits and to increase the requirements for recipient sites for tortoises relocated under the interim policy. The interim policy was approved as proposed. The Commissioners authorized FWC staff to make any adjustments necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the policy and charged staff with reporting on the implementation and effects of the policy at the next commission meeting in September.

At the same meeting the Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of conceptual approval of the Draft Management for Gopher Tortoises and instructed staff to continue to refine and revise the plan with the goal of returning the plan for final approval at their September meeting. The commissioners heard extensive comments from the public, including many from representatives of the stakeholder group. These were generally (although not universally) supportive of the plan in major concept and structure but offered several areas and topics of continuing concern. FWC staff are now compiling those comments, with those received in the public comment period preceding the meeting, and will make additional revisions to the plan during June and July. The next draft of the plan must be submitted for inclusion in the September Commission meeting agenda documents by early August.

FWC staff on the Gopher tortoise 2 team have asked me to thank you on their behalf for your extensive and very valuable inputs to the draft plan, your support for the concept and your continuing input and assistance.

Regards,

James Perran Ross
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation