The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking public input on the draft Lake Management Plans for the Harris Chain of Lakes and Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The drafts can be found on MyFWC.com/Lake-Plans.  

The FWC held two public meetings last month for each of these draft management plans and public commenting is still open. You can email comments by Dec. 16 to Harris Chain: HarrisChain@MyFWC.com or Kissimmee Chain: KissimmeeChainofLakes@MyFWC.com. The recordings of the in-person meetings are available on the Lake Management Plans web page.

Lake Management Plans are comprehensive, covering the FWC’s management of a system’s fish, wildlife and habitats. They are designed to ensure management of fish and wildlife for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. Plans cover management activities within the FWC’s jurisdiction while providing recommendations to partner agencies on items outside of that jurisdiction, such as water levels and water quality. FWC management activities can include, but are not limited to, habitat protection, restoration and enhancement, fish management, and invasive plant management.

For questions related to the management plans, contact Ben Shepherd at bshepherd@inwoodinc.com or 407-971-8850, or visit MyFWC.com/Lake-Plans.

For general waterbody information, fishing forecasts, virtual tours, plant control operation schedules and annual workplans, boat ramp information, and more, visit the “What’s Happening on My Lake” website at MyFWC.com/Lake