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deaths were attributable to boat collisions. Although the 

 reasons for the 1983 reduction cannot be identified with 

 certainty, it is possible that intensified enforcement and 

 public education efforts have been an important factor. 



A significant contribution to manatee protection in 

 1983 was the decision by the U.S. Coast Guard not to relocate 

 its Lake Worth search-and-rescue station at 59th Street in 

 West Palm Beach, Florida. As discussed in the 1982 Annual 

 Report, the proposed site is immediately adjacent to the 

 outfall of the Riviera Beach powerplant, an area used extensively 

 by manatees as a warmwater refuge in winter. During discussions 

 with the Coast Guard in 1982, the Commission, the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, and others pointed out that collisions 

 between manatees and Coast Guard search and rescue craft 

 using the site would pose a serious threat to the species ' 

 well-being. The Coast Guard, having been made fully aware of 

 the potentially serious results of relocating at 59th Street, 

 once again demonstrated its concerns for manatee conservation 

 when it announced, early in 1983, that it would no longer 

 consider use of that site and would instead explore other 

 options . 



Also, in July 1983, the Florida Department of Natural 

 Resources moved to expand its role in manatee protection by 

 establishing a Manatee Recovery Activities Coordinator 

 within the Department. This action obviated the need for 

 continued Federal support of the coordinator position which 

 had been funded initially by the Commission and later by 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service. At the end of 1983, the 

 State was contemplating a number of actions which could lead 

 to the establishment of a long-term funding source for 

 increased Departmental support of manatee research and 

 management activities. 



As noted above and in previous Annual Reports, an 

 important and valuable participant in cooperative efforts to 

 protect manatees has been the Florida Power and Light 

 Company. First drawn into manatee conservation because of 

 the species* attraction to powerplant warmwater outfalls 

 during cold weather, Florida Power and Light Company has 

 been instrumental in initiating or otherwise encouraging a 

 number of projects aimed at protecting and enhancing recovery 

 of the Florida manatee population. These have included 

 development of radio tagging techniques, behavioral and 

 ecological studies, development of a photo-identification 

 catalog for manatees, aerial surveys, and a public information 

 and education program which is widely viewed as being 

 extraordinarily effective and a model for others to emulate. 



