FWC steps up enforcement of mallard duck rule
Contact: Tony Young (850) 488-7867

Did you know you need a special permit when buying a mallard duck in Florida? Retail outlets, such as feed-and-seed stores and flea market vendors, also are required to have permits to sell these ducks, and by law, they cannot sell mallards to anyone who does not have the proper permit.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officers will be making routine visits to sellers of ducks, educating retailers on the rule and making sure of compliance.

“This is not a new law, but we are making an effort to make sure businesses selling mallard ducks are aware of it and its importance,” said Lt. Col. Michael Wiwi, FWC’s deputy director of law enforcement.

The rule, which also makes it unlawful to release captive-reared mallards into the wild, was passed by the FWC in 2004 to help protect the existence of the state’s native mottled duck – a unique subspecies found only in peninsular Florida.

The problem is, these pet mallards do not migrate and once released, become established, year-round residents of our state. When they mate with wild mottled ducks, it pushes Florida’s mottled duck population closer to extinction.

“Domesticated or feral mallards are crossbreeding with our mottled duck, producing hybrid offspring,” FWC biologist and waterfowl management program coordinator Diane Eggeman said. “This is a serious concern and if not stopped, this hybridization could result in the extinction of Florida’s mottled ducks.”

For more information on this rule or to learn how you can help protect Florida’s mottled duck, contact the FWC waterfowl office at (850) 488-5878, or visit MyFWC.com/duck.