For the Manatees by Colby O’Dazier

One thing we need to do is to have crews travel the manatee habitats and remove trash, fishing nets, etc. I also propose we install alarms on the canal locks that mimic the sound of manatees urging their fellow manatees to retreat. Finally, we need to make sure that there are proper speed limits posted at designated manatee habitats.

Photo by Matthew Bednarik Some rights reserved.

Over one hundred manatees die nearly every year, with over two-hundred dying within the last six years and over four-hundred dying in 2006. The vast majority of these deaths were human related. Most of these mortalities take place in Florida, within Lee, Citrus, Brevard, and other counties. There are some laws in place to help protect our aquatic friends, but much more could be done. Whether or not manatee numbers are rising, we cannot afford to stop our conservation efforts until they are a thriving population again.

Manatee deaths have been divided into eight categories; three of which we have control of (the others are natural or the deaths are deemed undeterminable). These three categories are watercraft, canal locks, and other human related incidents. The most well known of these categories is watercraft. Watercraft includes any vehicle intended for the open sea; including boats and wave bikes. Manatees have an estimated speed of about three to five miles per hour, so it has been estimated that any watercraft going over fifteen miles per hour can harm and even kill them. These deaths can result from either the propellers or sudden impact.

Thusly, if they are not already, speed limits in designated manatee habitats or “areas of social interest” to them need to be at the most ten mph. If this does not yield satisfactory results, then, unfortunately for the fishermen and other sea-going folks, the speed limit will have to be reduced to five mph and fines strictly enforced. If this requires “manatee guards” to be on the look out, so be it. The last alternative is to completely close the waters to the public.

Another pressing problem that plagues the manatees is canal locks. These canal locks are, simply put, deathtraps for them. The sound of the locks locking in place attracts the manatees and they unfortunately get trapped inside, either by flowing water pressure or by the locks themselves. Whatever the reason, the obvious outcome is death. There is a possible solution …though it would require some research. Manatees communicate through a series of whistles, squeaks, etc. Every animal has a retreat call; a way to warn their friends and family of danger. If we could some how isolate that certain pattern of squeaks or chirps that signal a retreat, then we cold duplicate it and make an alarm out of it. Then, when properly installed, the alarm will sound the retreat when the locks/gates are closing; and if need be, when they open. By sounding the retreating call, my theory is that whenever any of the manatees hear the alarm, they will flee and no longer suffer death at the hands of our gates.

The last human faults involve our trash, garbage, etc. The manatees are suffering because of our carelessness and laziness. Fishing nets, fishing lines, fishing hooks, and litter are all problems that plague the manatees and that we can prevent. Some will be harder to take care of than others. With the fishing nets, we can either outlaw them or hire some sort of crew to scourer the habitats of the manatees to search and remove the nets. We would also have to, more than likely, hire a crew to clean litter in the ocean if there has not been one hired. Unfortunately, the fishing line will nearly be impossible to handle, because you really can’t see it in the water. The hooks will more than likely be equally difficult.

There are already laws and security measures in place to help protect the manatees. I, however, have shown that there is more that could be done and I believe this plan should be considered. We’ve made a good start at protecting these beautiful creatures; now it is time to do everything we can to save and protect them. With these new measures we can make a difference in the lives of Florida’s manatees.