Items
of Interest:
Upcoming
Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day Events
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida's native habitats, people
can surrender exotic pets free of charge with no questions asked. Every attempt
will be made to place all healthy animals with nonnative
pet adopters.
2012
South Florida Environmental Report (Mar
1, 2012);
see also 2013
Draft Report
South Florida Water Management District.
For invasive species related information,
see Volume
1, Chapter 7: Status of Nonindigenous Species
(PDF | 1.9 MB).
FWC Increases Lionfish Harvest Opportunities, Asks Public to Help (Aug 13, 2012)
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
FWC recently made changes that will increase lionfish harvesting
opportunities, which are currently in effect
through August 2013: a recreational fishing
license is not required for recreational fishers
targeting lionfish while using a pole spear,
a Hawaiian Sling, a handheld net or any spearing
device that is specifically designed and marketed
exclusively for lionfish. There is no recreational
or commercial harvest bag limit for lionfish. Learn
more about lionfish or read the new State
of Florida Executive
Order 12-12 (PDF | 167 KB) on lionfish
harvesting.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Identifies Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado Production Area of Miami-Dade County (May 1, 2012)
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences (UF/IFAS) have confirmed the presence of laurel wilt on an avocado tree in a commercial block in the northern tier of the Miami-Dade County avocado production area. "The find of laurel wilt in a commercial avocado grove is a major concern," said Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. "Unaddressed, the disease can spread quickly, threatening the health of South Florida's commercial avocado industry."
UGA/Warnell
Center Develops Invasive Species Tracking
App (Dec 7, 2011)
University of Georgia. Warnell School
of Forestry and Natural Resources.
The Everglades National Park has released a much expanded mobile app for tracking
invasive exotics in Florida. The IveGot1 app
(iTunes) was developed by Park and University of Georgia researchers for the
iPhone to identify and report invasive plants and animals spotted in
Florida.
Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services Identifies Giant African Land
Snails in Miami-Dade County (Sep 15,
2011)
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services (FDACS) has positively identified
a population of Giant
African land snails (GALS) in Miami-Dade
County. The Giant African land snail is one
of the most damaging snails in the world because
they consume at least 500 different types of
plants, can cause structural damage to plaster
and stucco, and can carry a parasitic nematode
that can lead to meningitis in humans. Anyone
who believes they may have seen a Giant African
land snail or signs of its presence should
call FDACS toll-free at 888-397-1517 to make
arrangements to have the snail collected.
USDA
Establishes Quarantine Area for Citrus
Black Spot in Florida (Oct 19, 2010)
USDA.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service issued a Federal Order, effective immediately,
establishing quarantine and regulated areas
for certain portions of Collier and Hendry
counties, Florida, for citrus
black spot. The USDA
first confirmed the presence of citrus black
spot in Florida, in Apr 2010.
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