PALATKA, Fla., Feb. 17, 2010 -- The St. Johns River Water Management District will hold a public meeting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 25 to receive comment on a water use permit application for a proposed sturgeon farming facility in Melrose.

The meeting will be held in the Governing Board room at District Headquarters, 4049 Reid Street (Highway 100), Palatka.

Little Big Sturgeon Inc. is requesting a permit to withdraw 250,000 gallons per day of groundwater from the Floridan aquifer for aquacultural use.

Because of public interest in the application, this special meeting is an opportunity for District Executive Director Kirby Green to receive public input about water resource issues related to the application.

A decision will not be made at the meeting. A decision on the application will be made later by either Green or his designee (if recommended for approval), or by the District's Governing Board (if recommended for denial).

Written comments on the permit application may be e-mailed to applicationsupport@sjrwmd.com or mailed to St. Johns River Water Management District, Robert Presley, Division of Regulatory Information Management, P.O. Box 1429, Palatka, FL 32178-1429.