Chapter 11 — Species of Special Concern 



the limited options available and the need to reduce 

 manatee deaths and injuries by boats. They therefore 

 approved a bold recommendation by the Florida 

 Department of Natural Resources to begin developing 

 boat speed regulatory systems in 13 key counties 

 where manatees are most common and mortality is 

 high. The recommended action also required those 

 counties to develop and implement comprehensive 

 manatee protection plans. These efforts were to be 

 followed by similar efforts for other counties contain- 

 ing important manatee habitat. 



The recommendation was approved late in 1989. 

 As a first step, the Department cooperated closely 

 with officials and residents in each of the 13 counties 

 to begin developing proposed boat speed regulations 

 for all waters used by manatees in their respective 

 counties. After developing proposed rules for a 

 county that reflect a best effort to accommodate needs 

 of both manatees and boaters, the Department must 

 submit each county proposal to the Governor and 

 Cabinet for review and adoption into the State regula- 

 tory code. 



Using information on manatee distribution and 

 local boating patterns, the Department and county 

 officials have sought to apply various types of speed 

 restrictions throughout manatee habitat. The goal has 

 been to confer effective manatee protection while 

 minimizing inconvenience to boaters. Examples of 

 the types of speed zones considered are: year-round 

 or seasonal slow and idle speed zones for water bodies 

 or river segments of particular importance to mana- 

 tees; shoreline slow or idle speed zones applicable 

 within a set distance (e.g., 50, 100, or 500 feet) from 

 shore; zones in which non-channel areas are slow or 

 idle speed while marked channels are set at higher 

 speeds (e.g., 25 mph); seasonal or year-round no- 

 entry areas in which all vessel traffic is prohibited; 

 and high-speed (e.g., 30 or 35 mph) water sports 

 areas. 



As noted in previous Annual Reports, representa- 

 tives of the Commission testified before the Florida 

 Governor and Cabinet in 1989 in strong support of the 

 recommended approach. In 1990, the Department 

 completed, and the Governor and Cabinet adopted, 

 rules for 4 of the 13 key counties for manatees 



(Brevard, Collier, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties). 

 During 1991, the rules for Palm Beach County were 

 amended and rules for four additional counties (Volu- 

 sia, Dade, Sarasota, and Citrus Counties) were 

 developed and adopted. 



During 1991 , the Commission, in consultation with 

 its Committee of Scientific Advisors, provided com- 

 ments to the Department of Natural Resources on 

 proposed rules for Palm Beach, Volusia, Dade, and 

 Citrus Counties. It also provided comments to, and 

 in some cases testified before, the Florida Governor 

 and Cabinet during deliberations on proposed county 

 rules. 



Without exception, proposed county rules signifi- 

 cantly strengthened manatee protection. In all cases, 

 the Commission expressed strong support for the pro- 

 posals. In general, it noted that the proposed speed 

 restrictions reflected the best available information on 

 manatee habitat use patterns. In almost all cases, 

 areas known to be used intensively by manatees (e.g., 

 warm water refuges) received high levels of protection 

 (e.g., no-entry or slow and idle speed limits). 



In addition, major travel corridors, feeding areas, 

 and other important habitats used regularly by mana- 

 tees received important, though more moderate, 

 protection (e.g., shoreline or non-channel slow speed 

 limits). For those counties addressed to date, all areas 

 identified by the Commission as needing stronger boat 

 speed regulations in its 1989 report on east coast 

 manatee habitat protection needs (see Appendix B, 

 Marine Manmial Commission 1989) have been ad- 

 dressed in adopted county rules. Notwithstanding its 

 strong support for rule proposals overall, the Commis- 

 sion suggested a number of technical and substantive 

 changes. Many of these have been adopted. 



In 1992, efforts will be undertaken to complete and 

 adopt boat speed regulations for the remaining five 

 key counties (Indian River, St. Lucie, Duval, Lee, 

 and Broward Counties). After adopting rules for all 

 13 key counties, the Department anticipates develop- 

 ing similar rules for important manatee habitat in 

 other counties. It also will continue working with 

 county and municipal officials on local manatee 

 protection plans. These plans may refine boat speed 



