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Some people don't know how to share. Wildlife Alert

helps protect fish and wildlife from abuse and keep

our waters safer.

Florida Fish Busters’ Bulletin

November 2011

Wildlife Alert: New ways to be the eyes and ears for fish and wildlife

By Bob Wattendorf and Katie Purcell

If you are like most Florida anglers

and boaters, you enjoy your time on the

water; it’s an opportunity to get close to

nature and break the routine of work,

school or retirement. The peaceful

challenge of trying to find, attract and

catch your piscatorial prey is made

possible, in part, by the scientific

management and conservation laws that sustain sport fish populations. The goal is

for everyone to be able to share in the pleasure and to provide a sustainable

harvest.

So when you see someone threatening those resources by damaging habitat,

polluting the water, harvesting fish illegally (using illegal gear, taking more than

their bag limit or keeping undersized fish), you probably wish you could do

something. Well you can. The Wildlife Alert Reward Program has helped the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) catch thousands of

violators through phone calls people make to 888-404-FWCC (3922) or when they



The Wildlife Alert Program is administered by a 13-member committee

appointed by the FWC’s executive director. The committee meets at least twice a

year, oversees the program and determines the reward amounts. There are two

members for each of the FWC’s five geographic regions, and one member each

representing Audubon of Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation and Unified

Sportsmen of Florida. Each member serves a two-year term and may be reappointed

by the executive director.

Here is how Wildlife

Alert works. When someone

knows of, or suspects a

violation, they should report it

immediately. Information

such as the physical

descriptions of violators and

vehicles, license tag numbers,

locations, etc., are important to ensure an officer can respond appropriately. Callers

and online reporters may remain anonymous; they do not have to provide their

names or email addresses, and they will not be required to testify in court. A

confidential code number is required to be eligible for a reward, they are attained by

texting, emailing or calling 1-888-404-FWCC. Trained dispatchers handle Wildlife

Alert contacts 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Rewards range from $25 for no fishing or hunting license, to $1,000 for

commercial trafficking of wildlife or killing an endangered or threatened species.



Someone who reports a boater operating a vessel while under the influence could

get $250.

The real beauty of the program is that violators – through court fines – are

the ones who pay the reward money. When a violator is found guilty, the judge can

require a portion of the fine be paid into the Wildlife Alert Reward Fund. That

money is then used to pay rewards. So in effect, violators are paying people to turn

them in.

The Wildlife Alert Reward Program is administered by the Wildlife Alert

Reward Association, a non-profit, 501 (C)(3) created in 1979. Association members

promote the program and raise private, tax-deductible, charitable donations to

supplement the funds received through fines. To donate to the program send a

check to: Wildlife Alert Reward Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600.

There are many other ways that concerned

citizens can directly assist the FWC.

Angler Tag Return Hotline: Call 800-367-

4461.

Burmese Pythons, or other exotic reptiles:

Call 888-483-4681.

Fish Kill Hotline: Call 800-636-0511.

Horseshoe Crab Nesting Activity: Call

866-252-9326.

Biologists place tags in bass for a

variety of research purposes.

nglers finding one should contact

the Angler Tag Return Hotline.

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