FWC seeks comments on Miami blue draft management plan

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has completed a draft revision of the Miami blue butterfly management plan and requests public comment.

The FWC began updating the management plan in December as a result of new information received over the past few years.

“This means the management of the Miami blue must be revamped to address the best possible conservation measures for its survival,” said David Cook, the FWC biologist who heads up the Miami Blue Management Plan team. “More importantly, we want the Miami blue to thrive.”

            Once, this thumbnail-sized butterfly fluttered as far north as Hillsborough County on the Gulf Coast and Volusia County on the Atlantic Coast. Suspected culprits, such as habitat degradation, fragmentation and loss, and pesticide and herbicide spraying, relegated the Miami blue to the Keys. After the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, scientists believed the butterfly was gone forever.

            Much excitement accompanied the discovery of a small colony of 50 Miami blue butterflies in Bahia Honda State Park in the Keys in 1999. The FWC listed the species as endangered in 2002 in an emergency action after the North American Butterfly Association petitioned the agency. The FWC developed a management plan in 2003 to ensure a stable or increasing population to a level not requiring the endangered designation. Again, scientists were encouraged by the discovery of another population of blues in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge in 2006. A volunteer, on a walk with a refuge biologist, noticed the population.

            The FWC has concentrated its efforts in conjunction with several partners, such as the University of Florida, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Imperiled Butterfly Working Group, to monitor existing populations and research the possibility of raising the butterfly in captivity and then releasing it into the wild. Since 2003, there have been inroads and some setbacks, but the work continues.

The McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the University of Florida, with funding from the FWC and other sources, has been successful in breeding the Miami blue in captivity. However, scientists have been disappointed when they released captive-bred butterflies into the wild because, so far, they are unable to survive.

The FWC will accept written comments until 5 p.m. April 26.  Staff will consider the comments submitted in finalizing the revised management plan.  The Commission, at the June 23 meeting in Lake Mary, will present the final revised plan for consideration of approval.

Send comments to the Miami Blue Management Plan Revision, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian St., Mail Station 2A, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600, or e-mail MBB@MyFWC.com.

People can view the draft management plan at My FWC.com/Wildlife and click on “Imperiled Species.”