AR-News: (US FL) Boats, manatees face off

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Tallahassee Democrat
Posted on Sun, Jun. 13, 2004

Controversial bill could alter speed zones

By Bruce Ritchie

DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER


ST. MARKS - The manatee surfacing in the Wakulla River revealed a scarred 
tail with a rounded end that looked like a cookie with a bite missing.
"You see the propeller scar? That just breaks my heart," Wakulla County 
Sheriff's Deputy Annie White said.
She is one of several deputies who patrol the river to enforce a Wakulla 
County slow-speed zone. The HuManatee Inc. group pays about $1,600 a month for 
gasoline, boat maintenance and deputies to patrol on weekends.
The speed zone, from just south of the U.S. Highway 98 bridge to Wakulla 
Springs State Park, wasn't put in place specifically to protect manatees. It 
protects other boaters and swimmers from accidents and protects the shoreline from 
damaging waves.
The Big Bend area has no manatee speed zones. Even so, White said, the 
lumbering sea cows on the Wakulla River are protected when boats slow down.
Putting actual state manatee speed zones in place in Northwest Florida could 
become more difficult, environmentalists say, if Gov. Jeb Bush signs a bill 
amending manatee-protection laws that was adopted by the Legislature.
Supporters of the bill, including boating groups, say manatee speed zones 
still will be allowed under the bill. The bill also would require the Florida 
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to maximize boating opportunities in 
addition to protecting manatees. Supporters say the two should be balanced. 
Manatee-protection groups say the bill's language would open manatee regulations 
to legal challenges.
Wakulla's manatees



full story:
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/8910784.htm 


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