NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on September 03, 2009, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued an order.
The Order denies a petition submitted by American Airboat Tours for a temporary 3-year variance from a portion of the Collier County manatee protection rule (Rule 68C-22.023, Florida Administrative Code). The petition sought authorization for two airboats to be operated at speeds up to 20 MPH while conducting guided tours through the Slow Speed zone in Goodland Bay. The FWC received the petition on April 27, 2009, and a notice of petition was published in the Florida Administrative Weekly, May 22, 2009. Three interested parties submitted comments on the petition. The petition was denied because issuance of the variance would not meet the purposes of the underlying statute, Section 379.2431(2), Florida Statutes.
A copy of the Order may be obtained by contacting: Scott Calleson, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Imperiled Species Management Section (Mail Station #6A), 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600.