Florida Fish and Wildlife staff told a state Senate appropriations committee that preventing the introduction and early establishment of nonnative animals is the most cost-effective way to limit their ecological and economic damage, outlined recent removal and outreach programs, and announced an administrative suspension of special marine licensing permits for threatened species while the commission reviews the policy.

The presentation to the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government put prevention at the center of the agency's strategy. "Preventing the introduction, release, and establishment of invasive wildlife is key to success for cost effective management," George Wharton, chief conservation officer for Florida Fish and Wildlife, said during the briefing. Wharton also summarized removal efforts, public-engagement programs and enforcement operations that the agency said reduce impacts when eradication is not possible.

Wharton told senators the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has documented more than 500 nonnative species in Florida and completed 239 risk screenings to prioritize management. He highlighted outreach and removal results, including a Florida Python Challenge in which 934 participants removed 294 Burmese pythons from South Florida this year, and a lionfish program that the agency said has resulted in more than 2,000,000 lionfish removed since 2014. The 2025 lionfish challenge, Wharton said, removed 30,523 fish with 518 participants.

The agency described its Exotic Pet Amnesty program and public reporting tool. Wharton said the amnesty system has received more than 8,000 rehoming requests and completed more than 4,700 adoptions; the program lists about 1,400 approved adopters in 22 states. He also described the "I've Got 1" hotline (a public reporting platform) as a major driver of increased public reports of nonnative reptiles, birds and mammals.

On enforcement, Wharton cited undercover investigations and recent prosecutions of illegal trafficking, including an investigation called Operation Viper that the agency said resulted in about 600 charges. He said FWC officers work with federal partners such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA to inspect shipments and investigate interstate trafficking.

Wharton described current operational and research work: the agency is consolidating python-removal contracts (he said staff historically managed as many as 50 separate contracts), piloting a contract program with private partners (named in the presentation as QM and Versa Leathers) to commercialize python hides, and testing technologies such as drones, sentinel snakes and AI-enabled traps for detection and removal. Wharton cautioned some techniques are still in early evaluation and noted cost-effectiveness is a primary metric for wider adoption.

Wharton also said the agency has "currently suspended all SAL permits for any threatened species until the commission has time to meet and discuss how those permits will be addressed in the future," referring to permits under the special marine licensing (SAL) program. He framed that as an administrative suspension pending a commission decision.

Committee members asked about other items the FWC handles. Wharton said the commission recently voted to bring back bear hunting after roughly a 10-year hiatus and that the agency is issuing permits: "172 permits were issued across 4 subpopulations," he said, and officials expect a first hunt this year after the permitting process concludes. Wharton said the hunt and quotas were developed by agency bear biologists and researchers and described the approach as part of FWC's long-term bear management strategy. He added that hunting is only one part of managing human-bear conflict, and that reducing urban attractants such as unsecured garbage remains important.

Senators asked about specific species and programs. On iguanas, Wharton said they are currently in a long-term management category and that cold weather historically reduces distributions, but remarked that until new technologies are widely available, removal at scale is "likely here to stay." On federal land restrictions and partner rules that can limit tools such as dogs or motorized access, Wharton said federal partners have recently been "coming to the table" and that committee support for those conversations could help reduce barriers.

Wharton thanked the committee for recent support for technology funding, including drones; he characterized technology as the pathway to improving removal efficiency and reducing long-term cost. He closed by urging continued partnership among state, federal and private stakeholders to prevent establishment and to control established populations.

The committee at the start of the hearing also voted to confirm four sets of appointees (tabs 1 through 4) on a single roll call after a motion by Senator Sigley; the committee's clerking record shows those confirmations recommended favorably to the full Senate.