Manatee season runs through March 31 in Palm Beach County. Manatees are attracted by the warm weather in South Florida as water temperature drops in the North. Manatees seek out water that is above 68 degrees, which is why they congregate in South Florida, as well as at natural springs and in warm water discharges from power plants.
The area near the FPL power plant in Riviera Beach typically hosts some of the highest numbers of manatees in the state during cold fronts. Other local “hot spots” include Jupiter Sound, the C-18 Canal/Southwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River, Earman River, Central Lake Worth Lagoon, Lantana/Boynton area, Lake Wyman in Boca Raton, and many side canals along the Intracoastal Waterway that may serve as secondary warm water refuges and provide sources of freshwater.
The Intracoastal Waterway, which passes through Palm Beach County’s largest estuary, the Lake Worth Lagoon, is the manatee’s version of I-95. Just as local motorists need to share the road with vacationers, local and visiting boaters need to share these waterways with manatees as they travel. Since January 2009, a record high of 15 manatee deaths have been recorded in Palm Beach County; three were watercraft related.
The Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) takes action year round to help protect manatees. Efforts include a brochure with manatee speed zone maps, educational kiosks at local boat ramps, habitat restoration and enhancement projects, and a Law Enforcement Program to increase compliance with manatee speed zones countywide. The Manatee Protection Plan (MPP) provides annual funding in the amount of $200,000 for additional on-water law enforcement in the county’s waterways. This funding allows county marine units to work on manatee details specifically designed to increase patrolling in manatee protection speed zones.
During the 2008-2009 manatee season, 10 law enforcement agencies participated in this law enforcement program: Tequesta, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Lantana, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officers logged more than 2,000 additional hours, making more than 2,900 educational contacts and issuing approximately 1,000 warnings and 600 citations. The increased law enforcement presence improves speed zone compliance and reduces risks to both manatees and boaters. All 10 law enforcement agencies have renewed their commitment to manatee protection for the upcoming 2009-2010 manatee season.
For more information, please contact Paul Davis (233-2509) or Alessandra Medri (233-2512) of ERM.
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