AP Photo:
Manatees could lose 'endangered' status
"MIAMI - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday recommended upgrading the manatee's status from endangered to threatened, a move that indicates the animal has rebounded from the brink of extinction"
For those who dive in Florida's waters, it should be a great concern that the US Fish and Wildlife service is proposing this. Base on my observations, The US F&W is more concerned about not interfering with boat traffic than protecting manatees. Even when listed as "endangered" the unwillingness of this group to even slightly modify boat traffic lanes is huge shame. Most likely, relestate developers and recreational lobbiest have the final say here.
I have watch boats speed past (legally) resting manatees that are just meters from the boat lane in a small roped off "sanctuary". It is absurd to think the manatees won't venture outside these imaginary boundaries. What Florida needs is to modify certain parts of the Intercoastal to provide greater distance from the sanctuaries. That would require moving markers and modifying boat behavior slightly. This however has proved intirely unpalatable to the powers that be. Instead little roped off arears are set aside that do little to protect these gentle creatures.
If this is the best they can muster for an "endangered" species, what will they do when the manatee is "upgraded" to "threatened".
If anyone knows of a petition to stop this action, please post it now. Let's have a say in this outcome.
-shawn
