Bordering both the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic, Florida has delicate natural systems and habitats ranging from tropical coral reefs of the Florida Keys and natural grasses of the Everglades to natural springs and rolling sand hills. The diversity of these natural habitats is reflected in its species diversity. With more than 1,250 fish, and 700 terrestrial species, Florida contains a wealth of biodiversity. Essential to the ecological health of the state, Florida’s vast natural resources also help to support the state’s economy. More than 80 million people visit Florida each year and approximately 2 million hunters and anglers that live in the state. To insure that this important resource is properly conserved, the Florida Wildlife Legacy Initiative has created a state wildlife action plan to address its greatest wildlife and habitat needs.

Florida State Wildlife Action Plan

More about conservation in Florida

SARP Contact:  Jim Estes, Freshwater Fisheries Research Leader, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

Key Focus Areas:

AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES (ANS)
FLORIDA ANS Management Project
Current Status of ANS Management Plan: Invasive Species Strategic Plan was completed before the SARP Project. Being implemented. Available online here.
SARP ANS Contact: Scott Hardin, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission
For more information: http://www.iswgfla.org
SARP ANS Coordinator:  Marilyn Barrett-O’Leary

Program Activity:

SOUTHEAST AQUATIC  HABITAT PLAN (SAHP) & NATIONAL FISH HABITAT ACTION PLAN (NFHAP)
Oyster Reef for Shoreline Stabilization

SOUTHEASTERN INSTREAM FLOW NETWORK (SIFN)
FLORIDA Instream Flow Project
Current Instream Flow Policy:  (from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) website and modified to reflect water management under the five water management districts in the state)

Florida law (Chapter 373.042, Florida Statutes) requires the state water management districts or the Department of Environmental Protection to establish minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for aquifers, surface watercourses, and other surface water bodies to identify the limit at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area. Rivers, streams, estuaries and springs require minimum flows, while minimum levels are developed for lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Minimum flows and levels are adopted into [five] Water Management District (District) rules (Chapter 40D-8, Florida Administrative Code) and used in each District’s water use permitting program to ensure that withdrawals do not cause significant harm to water resources or the environment. Water bodies with adopted minimum flows and levels, and those the District is currently or planning to work on, are identified by each District.  For example, see Minimum Flows and Levels Priority List and Schedule for SWFWMD. The list and schedule, which is updated annually, is based upon the importance of the listed waters to the state or region and the existence of potential for adverse impacts associated with water use.

The Districts collect and analyze a variety of data for each water body to help define significant harm and for application of methods that are used to develop minimum flow or level recommendations. An essential component of the District’s minimum flows and levels establishment process includes the voluntary use of peer review in which independent scientists review and comment on proposed minimum flows or levels and the methods used for their derivation. The establishment process also includes an opportunity for public review, which affords all interested stakeholders an opportunity to provide comments prior to incorporation of the flows or levels into District rules. The intent of the process is to be inclusive while developing scientifically defensible minimum flows or levels that will afford protection to the water resources and allow sustainable withdrawals to meet human needs. If actual flows or levels are, or during the next twenty years are expected to be below established minimum flows or levels, the Districts develop and implement a recovery or prevention strategy (Chapter 40D-80, F.A.C.), in accordance with state law (Chapter 373.0421, Florida Statutes).

SIFN State Team participant organizations (under development):

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Southwest Florida Water Management District
• The Nature Conservancy

SARP SIFN Contact:  Eric Nagid, Biologist, FFWCC

SIFN Coordinator:  Mary Davis

Instream Flow Update:

1. As Florida has one of the most mature and comprehensive instream flow programs in the nation, important resources and experiences in managing instream flows in Florida have been shared with other SIFN state teams.  For example, the Southwest Florida Water Management District sent speakers to two instream flow conferences to present their instream flow program and studies.  Education and outreach materials from the WMD websites have provided valuable examples for others.
2. Eric Nagid, as the Southeastern representative on the Instream Flow Council, was appointed to the SIFN Steering Committee.  The IFC is an important SIFN partner and source of instream flow information.  Eric will help direct SIFN as well as provide a valuable link between SIFN and IFC activities.