• protecting Florida's fish, wildlife, and habitats to ensure their long-term well-being;
• providing public safety;
• conducting search-and-rescue missions to protect the public statewide;
• enforcing laws to protect Florida's resources;
• ensuring compliance with fishing, hunting, and boating safety regulations;
• providing public safety in Florida's state parks;
• promoting safe boating;
• regulating and inspecting captive wildlife;
• supporting domestic and homeland security in Florida's ports; and
• conducting environmental crimes investigations.

Wildlife Trafficking. The 2021 Legislature enacted Chapter 2021-55, Laws of Florida, amending the definition of “racketeering activity” in the Florida RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) Act to include violations of Chapter 379, F.S., and Title 68, F.A.C., which relate to the illegal sale, purchase, harvest or possession of wild animal life, freshwater aquatic life or marine life and related crimes. This change will allow such unlawful acts to be prosecuted as racketeering. A criminal violation of the Florida RICO Act is a first-degree felony and provides additional civil penalties. Previous language did not explicitly mention wildlife and sometimes proved problematic when prosecutors were applying the RICO Act to criminal networks focusing on wildlife exploitation for illegal gain. This legislation explicitly adds necessary language to assist in the charging and prosecution of such activities under the RICO Act.

Derelict Vessels. The 2021 Legislature enacted Chapter 2021-184, Laws of Florida, revising Florida's laws on derelict vessels. The legislation

• authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish a derelict vessel prevention program;
• revises the conditions under which a vessel may be determined to be at risk of becoming derelict;
• authorizes officers to provide in-person notice that a vessel is at risk of becoming derelict if there is a body camera recording;
• authorizes law enforcement officers to relocate at-risk vessels to a certain distance from mangroves or vegetation;
• authorizes local governments to enact and enforce regulations to remove an abandoned or lost vessel affixed to a public mooring;
• authorizes FWC to provide local government grants for the removal, destruction, and disposal of derelict vessels;
• revises provisions relating to the removal of derelict vessels and public nuisance vessels, and creates specific procedures for such vessels, including notice and hearing requirements and liability for removal costs; and
• authorizes FWC, law enforcement agencies, and authorized governmental subdivisions to perform relocation, removal, storage, destruction, and disposal activities.

Boating Safety. The 2021 Legislature enacted Chapter 2021-184, Laws of Florida, revising Florida's laws on boating safety. Among the changes, the legislation

• revises conditions under for a person operating a vessel commits a misdemeanor by failing to submit to breath or urine testing;
• restricts the operation of "human-powered" vessels within the boundaries of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway;
• provides that certain vessel-exclusion zones established by ordinance must be marked with uniform waterway markers permitted by the commission;
• authorizes the commission to establish anchoring/mooring/beaching/grounding protection zones for springs; and
• prohibits the operation of vessels faster than slow speed, minimum wake upon approaching certain hazardous conditions.

Invasive Reptiles. The commission prohibited, by rule, enhanced enforcement measures for nonnative species regulations. Certain high-risk, invasive reptiles are a threat to Florida’s ecology, economy, and human health and safety. The commission adopted new rules in February 2021 that will eliminate commercial breeding and pet ownership of these high-risk reptiles to protect Florida’s environment and economy and will place these high-risk reptiles on the prohibited species list, limiting possession to permitted facilities engaged in educational exhibition, research, or eradication or control activities.

Other Reports
2020 Boating Statistical Report, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, May 2021.

Websites of Interest
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Inspector General
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Research Publications
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Strategic Plan
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Performance Information

Col. Curtis Brown, Director, Division of Law Enforcement, 850-488-6251, email:  curtis.brown@myfwc.com

Website