At its February meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved changes to rules governing hunt preserves and game farms. The revisions aim to enhance public safety, prevent wildlife escapes, align with industry standards, increase accountability, and clarify existing regulations.
In 2017, the FWC made significant updates to these rules, including requirements for enclosures to prevent animal escapes. Over the past seven years, FWC staff and stakeholders identified areas needing further improvement. The revised rules were developed in collaboration with stakeholders and include updates such as water gaps and new gate designs to better meet industry needs.
“We appreciate the Commissioners’ recognizing the need for these hunt preserve and game farms rule revisions,” said Maj. John Wilke, FWC Captive Wildlife Section Leader. “These updates will reflect current industry standards, clarify regulations, and improve safety for both wildlife and the public.”
Key changes also include a requirement for dissolved facilities to properly dispose of wildlife in their possession. There is increased accountability for permit holders regarding actions taken by their employees. Additionally, there is now a prohibition on hunting captive-bred turkeys on hunt preserves.
The key points of the rule changes are:
– Enclosure Requirements: New standards address water gap enclosures and gates that were not covered in previous rules but are necessary for operation.
– Dissolution of Facilities: Facilities losing their permits due to revocation or nonrenewal must legally remove all captive wildlife to ensure accountability and prevent unlicensed operations.
– Escaped Wildlife: Permit holders are required to make reasonable efforts to recapture escaped animals.
– Permit Holder Responsibility: Permit holders are accountable for violations related to their FWC permit committed by employees at the facility.
