For Immediate Release: August 16, 2005

Boat traffic on Florida’s waterways can double or even triple on busy holiday weekends in the summer. For the large, slow-moving manatees, who share the crowded waterways with power boats, jet skis, and other vessels, this creates a very dangerous environment.

Wildlife officials respond to numerous rescue calls during a holiday period. “Just because a dead manatee doesn’t turn up right after a holiday, it doesn’t mean that manatees haven’t sustained serious injuries,” said Suzanne Tarr, Save the Manatee Club Staff Biologist. “Some manatees live with permanent injuries, while others may eventually die.” The increased risk to manatees on the Labor Day weekend is why it’s especially important for everyone to boat safely. Tarr said, “In fact, collisions with watercraft are the largest known cause of manatee deaths.”

There are numerous ways to be “manatee smart” on the waterways this Labor Day weekend. For starters, stay in deep water channels and follow all posted boat speed regulations. And if you see an injured manatee, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on your cellular phone, or use VHFChannel 16 on your marine radio. Often, people are uncertain whom to call in an emergency situation, so having this important information handy could help save a manatee’s life.

The Club receives many calls and letters from citizens who are concerned about the manatees’ safety as well as their own family’s boating experience. “If you follow safe boating practices, it stands to reason that it’s going to be safer for the family boater and everything else out there,” said Tarr. When asked what one thing the boating community can do for manatees this Labor Day, Tarr responded, “Manatees are out there every day, and it’s their home – we’re just visitors. So be a good steward by throttling back and giving manatees a break.”

Florida boaters can request a free, “Please Slow: Manatees Below” banner by contacting Save the Manatee Club via e-mail at education@savethemanatee.org, by regular mail at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751, or by calling toll free at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646). These banners are used by boaters to warn others that manatees are in the area. Just include your name, mailing and e-mail addresses, and the area where you boat in Florida. Also, if you are a Florida shoreline property owner, you can get a free aluminum sign for your dock which reads, “ Please Watch for Manatees: Operate With Care.” Be sure to include your name and mailing address and the address where the sign will be posted, if different.

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