News Releases

FWC seeks input on octocoral management

News Release

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Media contact: Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has scheduled two public workshops and a telephone conference call to hear what people think about possible rule changes that would extend FWC octocoral (soft corals) regulations into federal waters adjacent to state waters off Florida.

The FWC also wants to receive comments regarding the possible creation of an octocoral harvest quota that would include landings from state and federal waters, and the continuation of octocoral harvest prohibitions in Atlantic federal waters north of Cape Canaveral and from the Stetson-Miami Terrace and Pourtales Terrace Deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern.

The FWC encourages interested people to participate in the workshops and telephone conference call. The workshops are from 6-8 p.m. as follows:

Monday, May 2
FWC South Regional Office
8535 Northlake Blvd.
West Palm Beach
(phone 561-625-5122 for directions to this facility)

Tuesday, May 3
City of Key Colony Beach
City Hall Building, City Hall Auditorium
Mile Marker 53.5
600 W. Ocean Drive
Key Colony Beach

The telephone conference call is Thursday, May 5, from 6-8 p.m. EDT (5-7 p.m. CDT). Please contact the FWC at 850-487-0554 for information on how to participate in the call.

Anyone requiring special accommodations to participate in the workshops and conference call should advise the FWC at least five days prior to the events by calling 850-488-6411. If you are hearing- or speech-impaired, please contact the FWC using the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (voice).