29 December Interior, commenting to the Fish and Wildlife 



Service on funding for the Service's West 

 Indian manatee research program; and recom- 

 mending that the Service: (a) increase the 

 $237,000 Fiscal Year 1988 budget for the Sirenia 

 Project by $120,000 to $150,000 for continuing 

 and expanding manatee tracking studies; (b) main- 

 tain the Sirenia Project budget at the increased 

 funding level for the next five years; (c) ensure 

 that at least $57,000 is made available in 

 Fiscal Year 1988 for cooperative studies of 

 grass beds in Hobe Sound; and (d) continue 

 support for the Hobe Sound grass bed studies 

 for the next four years at a level of $65,000 

 a year. 



196 



