meetings of the Manatee Technical Advisory Council and the 

 Manatee Recovery Team. 



Representatives of the Service and members of the Recovery 

 Team involved in developing the revised Recovery Plan considered 

 the report and reflected its findings and recommendations in 

 a preliminary Draft Recovery Plan. On 13-14 July 1988 the 

 Recovery Team met in Gainesville, Florida, and a representative 

 of the Commission was invited to attend. Among other matters 

 discussed during its meeting, the Team considered actions to 

 improve the effectiveness of posted boat speed regulatory 

 zones and sanctuaries established to protect manatees. In 

 this regard, the Team noted that one of the best ways to 

 increase boater awareness of existing zones and sanctuaries, 

 particularly for transient out-of-state boaters, would be to 

 indicate their presence on future editions of NOAA Nautical 

 Charts for Florida coastal waters. 



To facilitate consideration of the suggestion, the 

 Commission wrote to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric 

 Administration on 22 July 1988 urging that the proposal be 

 considered. It suggested that a small symbol, such as a 

 small manatee profile, be placed at locations where speed 

 zones exist and that an accompanying explanation be added to 

 the chart legend explaining the special boating regulations 

 that apply within identified areas. The Commission noted 

 that including such information on the charts would make an 

 outstanding contribution toward addressing one of the highest 

 priority needs in the manatee recovery program — that is 

 helping to ensure that boaters are aware of their obligations 

 to protect manatees. 



On 15 August, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration responded noting that it had charted the location 

 of all manatee warning signs which had been reported to it. 

 It also noted that its Charting and Geodetic Service had 

 standard procedures for identifying such areas on charts, but 

 that because of restrictions established by the International 

 Hydrographic Organization and the Chart Standardization 

 Committee, its prerogatives for creating a unigue symbol for 

 manatees was limited. It noted that it would consider any 

 new reguests that it received and add them to its charts 

 provided that the additional information did not clutter 

 charts and deter from their navigation value. In consultation 

 with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Florida, 

 the Commission looks forward to working with the Charting and 

 Geodetic Service to ensure that navigation charts identify 

 established manatee boat speed regulatory zones and sanctuaries. 



On 20 October 1988, the Fish and Wildlife Service provided 

 the Commission and other agencies, organizations, and 

 individuals with copies of the "Technical Agency Review Draft 



22 



