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Defenders Magazine

Spring 2003

Defenders in Action: Thanks to DEN Members, Florida Manatees Win

With help from members of its Defenders' Environmental Network, Defenders of Wildlife has won strong, new protections for Florida's endangered manatees.

After DEN sent more than 50,000 e-mails demanding action, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service promised to slow boaters by creating new manatee protection zones on four heavily traveled rivers —- the Caloosahatchee in Lee County, the St. John's in Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties, and the Halifax and Tomoka in Volusia County.

That was only part of the agreement with Defenders of Wildlife, Save the Manatee Club and 16 other groups. The pact also calls for stepped-up enforcement. The agency agreed to post signs in 13 manatee protection zones already designated but not enforced. The agreement also requires the National Park Service to strengthen safeguards for manatees in national parks in Florida.

The deal comes with a federal judge threatening to hold Interior Secretary Gale Norton in contempt of court for refusing to obey three separate court orders to establish new protections for the gentle sea cows.

"We hope the Fish and Wildlife Service will live up to its side of the agreement this time around because that would mean real, substantial protection for manatees that are dying in record numbers," says Mike Senatore, litigation director for Defenders. "Since they landed back in court because they ignored the previous settlement, and only settled because of the threat of a contempt citation hanging over Secretary Norton, we'll have to be vigilant to make sure real action follows this new agreement."

While Norton dragged her feet, a record number of manatees were killed in 2002 in collisions with boats, according to records released by state wildlife officials. Deaths by boat reached 95, a large increase over the previous all-time high of 82 in 1999. Endangered manatees were killed and maimed by boat propellers and crushed by boat hulls.

Despite the new agreement, the fight to save manatees isn't over. Even as the pact was filed in court, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush met with Norton in Washington to complain and to press for "fewer burdens on Florida's boaters and marine industry," according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.