enforcement agencies; and manatee life history including 
distribution, abundance, movements, behavior, feeding habits, 
and habitat use. All of the training sessions, to which the 
Florida Marine Patrol invited officers from the Game and 
Freshwater Fish Commission and the Puerto Rico Department of 
Natural Resources, were held before the beginning of the 
1980-81 winter season. 
Intensification of Education Programs 
(Florida Department of Natural Resources) 
The protection and recovery of manatees will depend 
heavily upon a well-informed public. Having recognized 
this, the Florida Department of Natural Resources has conducted 
public education programs for some time. Perceiving a need 
for the preparation and distribution of information brochures 
to the public, the Department proposed to the Commission 
that it consider supporting such an undertaking. The Commission 
contracted for the preparation and distribution of 50,000 
brochures and for the revision of the field enforcement 
manual for Florida Marine Patrol Officers. Drafts have been 
completed and the final documents are expected in early 
WO Bike 
Constitution of a State Manatee Advisory Group 
(Florida Department of Natural Resources) 
The State of Florida's Department of Natural Resources 
sought Commission support to enable it to establish a 
committee of experts to assist the Director in: evaluating 
drafts of the manatee recovery plan; coordinating various 
State and Federal programs related to manatee recovery; 
developing rules on State aquatic preserves including some 
of those which may overlap designated areas of critical 
manatee habitat; identifying land which should be acquired 
for management and maintenance of important manatee habitat; 
making revisions appropriate for inclusion in the annual 
updating of work plans appended to the manatee recovery 
plan; and identifying ways to more effectively use all 
available statutory and programmatic mechanisms to further 
protect and encourage the recovery of the manatee. A 
contract was let by the Commission, and committee members 
were selected in late 1980. They are to be formally invited 
to serve in early 1981. 
