© David R. Schrichte

Despite growing threats to the manatee’s long-term survival and overwhelming public opposition, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted on June 7 to prematurely downlist manatees from Endangered to Threatened status. This decision plays right into the hands of those who want to exploit manatee habitat for development and high-speed recreation.

Even though the state found that the manatee population could be reduced by as much as 50% in the future and that manatees meet the federal and World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) definition for Endangered, manatees no longer qualify for state Endangered status because the FWC arbitrarily changed its listing/delisting rules by adopting the IUCN criteria for Endangered and then calling it Threatened.

Patrick Rose, Executive Director for Save the Manatee Club, takes questions from reporters following the Commissioner's vote. (Photo by Bryan Krantz)

The state claims the manatee population is growing. But a state report says only the two smallest subpopulations, comprising just 16% of the population, show clear growth. The Atlantic subpopulation has probably declined by about 3% per year over the last five years. The Southwest subpopulation is already in decline. And manatees continue to die from boat strikes in near-record numbers.

The FWC insists protections won’t change, but a review of Florida law shows Endangered species are afforded more protection than Threatened species.

The Commission claims their Management Plan will protect manatees. However, Florida’s Legislature will be pressured to reduce FWC’s authority and funding to protect manatees. This will undermine the implementation of the plan, and prevent real recovery.

In the meantime, manatees’ projected loss of winter habitat could cause catastrophic future losses.

This is no time for celebration.

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Get More Info

• Read comments on the FWC's management plan from
  the Marine Mammal Commision
• Seventeen groups from Florida and around the nation have filed a petition urging the state of Florida to revise its imperiled species classification system. Read a press release on this issue.
  
• Read the legal petition filed by the groups (pdf).
  
• Get more Manatee Information
  

Read Articles and Editorials on This Issue

St. Petersburg Times: Endangered Or Not, What Changes With The Listing

Sarasota Herald Tribune: Critical Time for Manatees.

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