Florida Fish Busters Bulletin January 2010 Florida FWC is looking to the future Bob Wattendorf

As you change calendars and begin looking forward to 2010, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is undergoing its own transition in its top level administration. Ken Haddad has retired after a proud career with the agency. Haddad took over the helm as
Director Ken Haddad, Chairman Rodney Barreto and Senator Paul Dockery place a largemouth bass broodfish in a spawning raceway at the inauguration of the Florida Bass Conservation Center (February 2007).

executive director of the FWC, in May 2002. Prior to that appointment, he was director of the FWCs Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) for nine years. He also served as interim director of the FWCs Division of Marine Fisheries, as a scientist and research administrator with the former Florida Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Protection and as a consultant in the private sector. When he became executive director, the agency was in a state of flux as a result of a constitutional amendment, supported overwhelmingly by Florida voters, which combined the old Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Marine Fisheries Commission, and parts of the Department of Environmental Protection into the new FWC. He immediately reached out to the staff to explain his vision for the agency, which was to see FWC no less than the premier fish and wildlife agency in the country--a progressive and cutting edge resource management, science, and enforcement agency. I

want FWC to be visionary to the future and to be proactive rather than reactive to resource issues. I want to see a focused, well-managed, and well-funded agency that is a model of efficiency and business for other agencies in the state and nation. His diligence and vision helped guide the FWC well along this course, although as with virtually all conservation agencies in the country and state, the fiscal challenges in recent years have been all but insurmountable. Nevertheless the FWC surged forward under Haddads

Ken Haddad and Ted Turner discuss the outstanding opportunities for getting kids outdoors at the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center (February 2009).

leadership and is widely recognized as one of the most progressive agencies in the country. His focus on customer service, continual improvement and staff empowerment were hallmarks of his tenure. He also emphasized stakeholder input and involvement, and helped launch Get Outdoors Florida! (www.GetOutdoorsFlorida.org). Similarly, he was instrumental in bringing about a summit entitled Floridas Wildlife: On the front line of climate change, which put the FWC in the forefront among conservation agencies by developing a comprehensive plan of action for Florida to address climate change issues as it relates to the state's fish and wildlife. As he moves on, he has left the agency in great hands. Nick Wiley, the former assistant executive director, was appointed by the FWC commissioners as the third Executive Director of the agency, pending Florida Senate confirmation. Wiley began his career in 1988 with the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and worked his way up through director of the Division of Hunting and Game Management, including stops in

the alligator and small game management section, and overseeing the states Wildlife Management Area system, prior to taking the assistant executive directors role in 2008. Wiley is passionately dedicated to conservation of fish and wildlife resources and an energetic advocate for getting youth outdoors and preserving our American heritage as anglers and hunters who live with and understand nature. As a researcher and field biologist, his work was primarily with terrestrial wildlife, but his personal interests include angling. The fishing community will be well-served by his enthusiastic leadership. The new executive director also clearly understands the importance of the human-dimensions aspects of wildlife management. He has promoted hunting summits to bring in various stakeholders to discuss the future of hunting and incorporated solid research and marketing approaches to meet hunters needs. These same issues have been of concern in the fishing arena. In keeping with the theme of stakeholder input, similar efforts have been ongoing and involve individual freshwater anglers and diverse Florida businesses that derive their livelihood
Wiley helps some young boys at the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center refine their casting techniques (April 2009). New FWC Executive Director Nick Wiley walks the walk. In this photo he is shown sharing his enthusiasm for outdoor recreation with his two sons, Brooks and Duncan (2002).

from ensuring that top-quality, safe and

sustainable fishing opportunities are available throughout Florida. A series of regional summits led to development of an initial planning document in 2008 entitled The Future of Freshwater Fishing--A Vision for Floridas Freshwater Resources. From there an independent Florida Freshwater Fishing Coalition spun off, which is becoming a more vocal advocate for the conservation needs of our freshwater resources and helping ensure stakeholder input into how your resources are managed. So as we change those calendars and start the New Year, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management feels we are well-positioned to continue to ensure that Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World, thanks to great resources and responsible management. We thank Ken Haddad for his past leadership and look forward to embracing the enthusiasm Nick Wiley has for our fish and wildlife, engaging youth in active nature-based recreation and ensuring that your voice as an angler is heard. With that in mind, dont forget the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management is looking for your ideas pertaining to a Long-Term Management Plan for Black Bass. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and view the Black Bass Management information in the yellow box. Youll have the opportunity to complete a survey to provide the FWC with more information about what you think is important to having quality bass fishing in Florida. Happy New Year, good luck and good fishing.

Instant licenses are available at MyFWC.com/License or by calling 888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356). Report violators by calling *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone, or 888-404-3922. Visit http://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/ for more Fish Busters columns.

-30-