I recently received an e-mail from Marty Mann of the FWC:
It is the desire of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to work closely with bass anglers, clubs, and tournaments to ensure all users enjoy safe and quality fishing and boating while protecting the environment. Recently, FWC has been receiving many reports that anglers are installing fish attractors in lakes and we are trying to get the word out that this activity requires a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Without a permit, it is considered littering and is illegal. The FWC is concerned that anglers are participating in an illegal activity and may not even be aware of it. We are also concerned that anglers are putting environmentally unfriendly materials in the lake to serve as attractors as well as placing attractors in water depths that may become navigational hazards.
The FWC has placed signs at fish camps and bait and tackle stores around the lakes warning of the penalties of littering in our lakes. The FWC Division of Law Enforcement will enforce this law if someone is caught participating in this activity. The best way to address the littering problem is to solicit help from anglers, not relying on law enforcement to make cases. The FWC needs anglers to regulate themselves through education and observation.
The FWC respectfully requests that tournament directors and anglers alike help reduce and eliminate this illegal fish attractor activity by educating their members and/or fellow anglers. If that is done, the lakes will be protected, anglers and boaters will be safer and tournament anglers will all benefit by providing everyone a level playing field in competition. The FWC thanks you in advance for helping us protect our lakes!
If you have questions about this, you can contact Marty Mann of the FWC at (spelled out here to avoid bots spamming him unnecessarily... use your human skills to fix it) marty dot mann at myfwc dot com