The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a delayed start date for a set of new state guidelines that protect imperiled beach-nesting birds from human disturbance.
Agency commissioners approved the guidelines last July, originally slating them with a launch date of September 2023. But now, they won鈥檛 take effect until October 2024.
Commissioners proposed to delay the guidelines in light of last year鈥檚 severe storm season, which changed Florida鈥檚 coastline substantially, creating new nesting habitat in areas the agency hadn鈥檛 previously identified, .
Along with providing more recovery time for impacted coastal areas, FWC says the delayed launch date also gives the agency more time to engage with property owners, businesses and other stakeholders who may not already be aware of the guidelines.
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The four species of birds impacted by the guidelines are some of North America鈥檚 rarest birds, according to President Ann Paul, who describes the American oystercatcher, snowy plover, black skimmer and least tern as 鈥渙bligate beach nesters.鈥�
鈥淭he only place that they can or will nest is on the beach, or a place that is like a beach,鈥� Paul said. Sometimes, she says the birds will dig their shallow nests, or 鈥渟crapes,鈥� on gravel rooftops close to the water.
As more and more people flock to Florida beaches, Paul says, heightened levels of human activity pose a real challenge to beach-nesting birds 鈥� especially during their breeding season, which Paul says typically starts at the end of April or May.
But humans aren鈥檛 the only challenge these birds face.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult for these birds to actually successfully nest, even when they鈥檙e not disturbed,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淪o anything that the wildlife commission can do to protect them, through rulemaking and other activities 鈥� that really does promote a better chance for success.鈥�
Paul says it鈥檚 especially critical to try and control risk where we can, given the natural challenges facing these threatened birds 鈥� from eroding coastline, to scalding hot sand.
鈥淲ith our increasing population, and how much everybody loves the beach, and the fact that with the storms, we鈥檝e lost a lot of beach habitat, just to erosion 鈥� it鈥檚 kind of a recipe for losing these species,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淎nd they鈥檝e been under this kind of pressure for decades.鈥�
Paul said she looks forward to celebrating birds and other wildlife at the she鈥檚 helping organize in Apollo Beach next week.
According to FWC, the delayed launch date also gives the agency more time to recruit and train specialized monitors: volunteers who are specifically trained to survey and minimize harm to nesting sites across the state.
The agency has information about .
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