MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Just days after crowds packed Silver Glen Springs for the annual “Mayhem” weekend, a popular boat party that draws hundreds to the water, state officials have hit pause on a proposal that could change how boaters access the spring. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has removed a Springs Protection Zone (SPZ) discussion from its May agenda, delaying any decision on future boating restrictions in the area.

The decision comes as state lawmakers recently passed a bill that could change how SPZs are created. Although not yet signed into law by the governor, the new rules would require evidence that boat traffic causes both significant and primary harm to a spring before restrictions could be put in place. If signed, those changes would take effect July 1.

Under the current rules, FWC had planned to consider a protection zone at Silver Glen, but officials say there wouldn’t have been enough time to finalize that decision before the new law takes effect. Moving forward with the old rules, they said, could conflict with the legislature’s intent.

What would an SPZ mean for local boaters?

If Silver Glen Springs were to become a designated SPZ in the future, certain boating activities could be restricted. This might include limits on anchoring, mooring, beaching, or grounding boats within the spring area to help protect the ecosystem.

For now, those activities are still allowed. FWC says it will continue monitoring the situation and revisit the proposal once there’s more clarity on the law.

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