Manatee Mortality in the United States, 1977-1987* 



Figures include the number of manatee carcasses 

 recovered by year and the number of animals known 

 to have died but which were not recovered. 



Accompanying the population boom has been a corresponding 

 increase in the number of registered boats in the State. 

 While there were only 100,000 registered boats in Florida in 

 the early 1960s, there are now more than 650,000 and an addi- 

 tional 300,000 transient boats enter each year from out of 

 State. By the year 2000, these numbers are projected to 

 double. As the above table shows, 1987 saw a record number 

 of manatees killed as a result of collisions with boats and 

 barges. This number can be expected to rise along with in- 

 creased boat traffic unless additional steps are taken 

 promptly to reduce the risk of boat strikes. Probably more 

 serious in the long term are the habitat losses resulting 

 from increased coastal development and environmental pollution 

 that will further degrade critical manatee habitat. 



If the survival and recovery of manatees are to become a 

 reality, substantially increased effort must be devoted to 

 protecting essential habitat and to reducing the number of 

 collisions with boats. 



Manatee Program Review 



As discussed in previous Annual Reports, the Marine Mammal 

 Commission, in consultation with its Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors on Marine Mammals, undertook a thorough review of 

 Federal and State manatee conservation programs in 1979-1980. 

 In recognition of the importance of that review, Congress 

 made a special Fiscal Year 1980 appropriation of $100,000 to 

 the Commission for work on manatees. To determine how best 



