while it represented an improvement over previous versions, 

 it still did not provide an adequate basis for developing a 

 comprehensive research and management plan; it did not 

 represent a useful prototype for developing other site- 

 specific research and management plans; the recommended 

 research and management actions were incomplete and not 

 sufficiently detailed; and, in many cases, recommended 

 actions were not clearly justified. The Commission referred 

 the Service to its earlier comments and recommendations on 

 development of the plan. 



Subsequently, the Fish and Wildlife Service closed the 

 the contract after consultation with the Commission, and 

 decided to develop a research and management plan through ' 

 its Cooperative Research Unit at the University of Florida 

 in Gainesville. The Commission worked closely with the 

 Service on the project, and will continue to do so. The 

 Service established a project Steering Committee which met 

 on 21 October 1982 to review the draft of a revised plan 

 outline with respect to the types and organization of information, 

 both biological and legal, that needed to be incorporated. 

 A final outline was agreed upon and the principal investigator 

 immediately undertook negotiations to contract for the 

 necessary legal advice. It appears that the Service is well 

 on its way to completing a useful research and management 

 plan for the Crystal River area in 1983. 



As mentioned earlier, a number of deaths in 1982 

 appeared to be attributable to red tide. In February, 

 substantial numbers of manatees began dying of unknown 

 causes in the Fort Myers area on the west coast of Florida. 

 The die-off continued for several weeks until, by 16 April 

 19 82, 41 manatee deaths had been confirmed in the area and 

 39 carcasses had been recovered. Of these 39, two appeared 

 to have died as a result of collisions with boats, but for 

 the remainder a variety of causes, including red tide, 

 botulism, and bacterial meningeal encephalitis, were under 

 investigation. 



While the die-off was occurring, it became apparent 

 that facilities in the Fort Myers area for performing 

 autopsies and histopathological work-;aps were inadequate. 

 However, since the necessary facilities were available at 

 the University of Miami, the Commission made funds immediately 

 available to transport the carcasses to Miami for examination. 

 The Commission also made known to the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service its willingness to support additional veterinary 

 services should the Service wish it to do so. 



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