budget needs beyond 1984 were never fully elaborated and 

 changes to reflect progress on listed research and management 

 tasks have not been incorporated since 1982. 



Therefore, in its 19 November 1987 letter to the Service, 

 the Commission recommended that the Recovery Plan and Comprehen- 

 sive Work Plan be updated as soon as possible. The Service 

 concurred and, during the December meeting, advised the Commis- 

 sion and other participants that it had begun efforts to revise 

 and integrate the two Plans. The Service also presented a 

 schedule for developing the new Plan with a projected approval 

 date of spring 1989. 



To help the Fish and Wildlife Service identify and evaluate 

 critical issues and actions for inclusion in a revised Recovery 

 Plan, the Commission contracted in 1986 for an analysis of 

 the status of the Florida manatee recovery program with recom- 

 mendations for its improvement. The Commission provided a draft 

 report to the Service and the Florida Department of Natural 

 Resources in July 1987. A review suggested that the report, 

 while useful, needed further work, particularly in such areas 

 as the analysis of research priorities. To supplement the 

 draft, the Commission contracted with a scientist familiar 

 with manatee research efforts in Florida and the recovery 

 program to co-author the report. During the Commission's 

 December 1987 meeting, a revised report outline was agreed 

 upon, and a final report is expected in early 1988. The Commis- 

 sion will promptly provide the report to Federal and State 

 agencies and other involved parties to provide help in planning 

 future manatee research and management activities. 



The West Indian Manatee Recovery Team — The West Indian 

 Manatee Recovery Team was established in the mid-1970s. Among 

 other things, the Team helped the Fish and Wildlife Service 

 identify research and management priorities and develop the 

 Recovery Plan. Since 1980, however, the Team has not met. 

 In view of the critical problems and the need for obtaining 

 the best possible advice and assistance in identifying effective 

 research and management solutions, updating the Recovery Plan, 

 and undertaking appropriate recovery activities, the Commission 

 recommended in its 19 November letter to the Service that the 

 Recovery Team be re-activated. The Service concurred and, 

 during the Commission's December meeting, announced that invi- 

 tations to prospective Recovery Team members would be sent 

 early in 1988. One of the Team's first tasks will be to review 

 and comment on the draft Recovery Plan now being prepared by 

 the Service. 



In 1980, with financial assistance from the Commission, 

 the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Natural 

 Resources established a Manatee Technical Advisory Council to 

 advise him on matters bearing on manatee conservation and 



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