House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #607 Lake Griffin Wildlife Initiative
Requester:	Allan L. Egbert		Organization:		Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Project Title:	Lake Griffin Wildlife Initiative		Date Submitted:		01/21/2000 2:59:42 PM
District Member:	Everett Kelly		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission		Contact:		Harry Duttom
	620 S. Meridian St.		Contact Phone:		(850) 488-3831
	Tallahassee, Fl 32399
Project Description:
The purpose of this initiative is to determine the causes of unexplained alligator and turtle mortality and severe declines in alligator egg viability on Lake Griffin. Meeting the objectives of this initiative will require studies and the collection and analysis of samples to evaluate alligator populations, alligator mortality, nutritional status of alligators, and alligator egg viability. The studies would examine the levels and distribution of contaminants in alligators and their eggs and alligator food animals. It would identify and develop clinical animal-tissue detection methods for toxins produced by blue-green algea found in the lake and examine their effects on alligators. The requested funding will be used by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in cooperation with the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Department of Zoology, the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, to address these objectives. Reference to questions 6. (future funding) $600,000. is for first year and $1,986,827 is over next five years.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Florida's wildlife resources are important to the citizens of Florida from ecological, economic, and aesthetic perspectives. Understanding the causes of unexplained mortality and reproductive failure of alligators on Lake Griffin will help identify possible health risks to humans, fish, and wildlife. Additionally, monitoring and evaluating the effects of on going restoration efforts on Lake Griffin will provide insight into the potential for similar problems on other lakes in Florida. In addition to maintaining an important ecological role on the lake, restoring a healthy alligator population on Lake Griffin would lead to increased economic returns to eco-tourism operations, commercial alligator farmers, alligator hunters, alligator processing facilities , and local businesses that are economically tied to alligator viewing and harvests.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
With this information, appropriate courses of action for restoring alligator population health on Lake Griffin and other affected aquatic systems wll be identified.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$600,000
Total cost of the project:		$2,586,827

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?					No
Was this project previously funded by the State?					No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?					Yes
	Amount:	$600,000
	Purpose for future year funding:			Recurring Operations and Above amount will be requested over the next 4 years
	Will this be an annual request?				Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?					Yes
	Agency:	Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?					Yes
Is there a documented need for this project?					Yes
	Documentation:	Lake Griffin Restoration Task Force Recommendation to Legislature Nov. 1999
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?					Yes
	Hearing Body:	Lake County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:	10/12/1999