This November marks the beginning of Manatee Awareness Month. This month, state officials in Florida are asking boaters to go slowly around the coastline in South Florida during the manatee migration.
Every year, as winter approaches, manatees begin migrating to southern Florida's warmer waters.
"Boaters slowing down and watching out for manatees can help protect this species from injury. Anyone who spots a manatee that is injured, entangled in fishing line or otherwise in distress can help initiate a rescue by calling the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922," said Carol Knox, who works at the Florida FWC.
It can be hard for boats to spot manatees in the ocean, even though they are very large animals. Manatees swim close to the surface, because they need to breathe air. The nose of a manatee can be spotted in the water if the people running boats are careful and pay attention, but the rest of the manatee will remain submerged. By going slowly, boaters can pay extra attention to avoid manatees.
Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, signed Manatee Awareness Month into law in November of 2011. Manatees are an endangered species, protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Manatees are also protected by a Florida state law, the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. With these measures, manatees are on the rise again, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering moving the manatee from endangered status to threatened status on the Endangered Species Act.
Part of Florida's Manatee Recovery Plan involves speed zones for boats at locations where manatees are more common. Under this act, boats can be fined for going over the speed limit in these zones. Some of these zones are seasonal, and will come back into use on November 15th.
According to the Save the Manatee Club, 60 percent of boat-related manatee deaths are caused by the manatee hitting the hull of a boat; 40 percent of deaths are caused by wounds inflicted by propellers on boats. Save the Manatee suggests the use of propeller guards on boats, in addition to driving slowly, to protect manatees.
