tained at the recommended Fiscal Year 1988 level for five 

 years thereafter. With respect to the Hobe Sound sea grass 

 bed studies, the Commission recommended that at least $57,000 

 be made available by the Service in Fiscal Year 1988 and that 

 $65,000 be provided in each of the succeeding four years to 

 carry that project through to completion. 



Information and Education Programs — Because manatees 

 interact extensively with boaters, divers, and other Florida 

 residents and visitors, effective public awareness programs 

 are essential. Among other things, this means developing 

 messages that emphasize different points to different audiences 

 (e.g., boaters, divers, school children, etc.). The manatee 

 conservation program in Florida is exceedingly fortunate in 

 that several cooperating agencies and private organizations 

 have responded to this need with outstanding contributions 

 and long-term commitments. Among the many groups deserving 

 special recognition are the Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

 Florida Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Power 

 and Light Company, and the Save the Manatee Club. During the 

 Commission's meeting, representatives of these groups pro- 

 vided information on relevant programs and the materials being 

 prepared and distributed. As noted above, the Commission was 

 advised, among other things, that the Service had received a 

 special Fiscal Year 1988 appropriation of $650,000 for purchase 

 of a headquarters and visitor center site on Kings Bay for 

 the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. 



In addition, representatives of the Florida Department 

 of Natural Resources noted that, given the rapid growth of 

 Florida's human population and its close association with 

 manatees, it was essential that future generations of Floridians 

 understand the critical issues involved in protecting manatees 

 and the marine ecosystem as a whole. An identified approach 

 for instilling a broader, more thorough awareness of these 

 issues was through improved curricula for different elementary 

 and secondary school levels. This point had been discussed 

 earlier in the year with the Commission, and the Commission 

 has responded by offering to provide funds to the Florida 

 Department of Natural Resources to hire an education consult- 

 ant. On 18 December 1987, the Director of the Department of 

 Natural Resources accepted the offer. In early 1988, negoti- 

 ations will be completed to transfer funds in support of devel- 

 oping curriculums for public schools on matters pertaining to 

 the protection of West Indian manatees and coastal ecosystems 

 in general. 



Manatees of the Greater Caribbean and South America — 

 During its Annual Meeting, the Commission reviewed available 

 information on the status of West Indian manatee populations 

 in areas outside Florida. According to information provided 

 by Fish and Wildlife Service representatives and others, 



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