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15 September 2006 Stakeholder Steering Committee Discussion
Incidental Take of gopher tortoises. (Draft Stakeholder statement)
Revised after discussion 20 Sept 2006
In discussion of a draft document and during the meeting the following points emerged that the stakeholder Group wishes to draw to FWC staff attention:
- The Group agreed that that accidental death of tortoises that occurs during permitted relocation activity should be allowed as part of the relocation permit, understanding that this is the case at present, such mortality occurs at a very low rate, and current permit conditions require that it be reported to FWC. The Group urges FWC to further clarify the conditions and permit conditions for this incidental take as it revises the permit process.
- The Group is deeply divided and cannot agree at present on what degree of take, if any, should be permitted beyond this when it involves the burial and death of tortoises. A range of views were expressed -- Death by burial of tortoises under incidental take permit should be:
- immediately ended.
- phased out as quickly as possible.
- should be reduced in favor of relocation but will continue to be needed to meet practical contingencies, unexpected circumstances and conservation needs.
- The Group urges FWC to address this problem, and while it remains under discussion, the death by burial of tortoises under incidental take permit should be minimized to the greatest degree possible. The following possible actions were proposed:
- Investigate and allow short term and temporary expedient measures that reduce the number of tortoises entombed and killed.
- Offer a fast track approval for permits to relocate tortoises from those developments that already have IT permits. Such relocation should be conducted humanely and with appropriate enclosure and monitoring requirements.
- Streamline and fast track the process for approval of recipient sites for relocated tortoises.
- Provide a permit option to allow members of the public and other interested groups to ‘rescue’ tortoises immediately threatened with lethal take under permit.
- Clarify the financial arrangements available to those permitees that have already received IT permits and paid a conservation contribution, who are willing to relocate tortoises.
- Suspend the issuance of IT permits for the area within 100 miles of Nokuse Plantation in Walton County, with the agreement that Nokuse Plantation will accept any tortoises in this area that must be relocated.
The Stakeholder Group requests GT-2 and FWC to respond to these concepts as a matter of urgency and advise us their response and intentions by 1 December 2006.
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