“This is a great opportunity to incorporate citizen participation into our research and management efforts.”

By Teresa Stepzinski | Jacksonville Times-Union

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has released a new app to make it easier for people to report fish and wildlife sightings.

The “FWC Reporter App” also is intended to encourage residents and visitors to take an active role in conservation by reporting their observations such as fish kills to exotic species or wildlife that are trapped or injured. The app connects people directly to Fish and Wildlife experts via their Apple or Android devices, according to the commission.

“This app strengthens our relationship with the public by engaging people and streamlining communications with our staff,” said Gil McRae, director of the commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “This is a great opportunity to incorporate citizen participation into our research and management efforts.”

The app is free. It can be downloaded on Apple or Android smartphones or tablets from the App Store and Google Play. After downloading it, people can make a report by selecting a category from the menu, providing the relevant information and submitting photos if available, according to the commission.