Florida Manatee - Issues and InformationManatee Myth: Florida Manatee - Native to Florida? Federal Manatee Protection Areas (Refuges & Sanctuaries) Manatee Rescue, Rehab & Release Program Out-of-State Manatee Sightings - What to Do and Not Do Conservation Agencies Encourage Boaters to Self-Report Collisions with Manatees Service Nearing Completion of Final Decision on Proposed Kings Bay Manatee RefugeNovember 14, 2011 
Female manatee and nursing calve. Photo: USFWS. As "manatee season" approaches in Kings Bay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to update the public on the status of the proposed Kings Bay manatee refuge rule. During the public comment period on the rule, the Service received 413 written and 42 oral comments, as well as thousands of additional form letters and e-mails. In general, there is great support for the expanded sanctuaries and the rules preventing manatee harassment, while the proposed year round slow speed zone is the area of greatest debate. The Service carefully considers all public comments and addresses them as appropriate in the final rulemaking. In our prior rulemakings, the Service made adjustments in the final rules based on these comments, as well as updated data on manatee use. "Based on the number and variety of the comments received, as well as the debates spurred by the proposed rule, we are making an extra effort to consider and address all the comments received," said Dave Hankla, supervisor of the Service’s North Florida Field Office. Service officials had targeted mid-November for completion of the Kings Bay rule but had acknowledged doing so might be a challenge. "While having the final rule in place for the winter season was always our goal, we think having a comprehensive rule that adequately addresses comments and concerns raised during the comment period is worth the extra time," Hankla said, adding "we expect to complete the final rule in December." Service proposes broadening Florida manatee protections in Citrus County, FLThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today a proposal to expand federal protection areas for manatees in Citrus County, Florida, by creating a manatee refuge including all of Kings Bay in Crystal River. The proposed area of the Kings Bay manatee refuge has not changed from what was identified in the emergency designation. The manatee refuge would include all waters of Kings Bay, its tributaries and adjoining water bodies upstream of the confluence of Kings Bay and Crystal River. In addition to the proposed rule, the Service is making available its related draft environmental assessment (EA) for comment. The public comment period closed August 22,2011. Comments may be viewed via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for Docket No. [FWS–R4–ES–2010–0079]. Please note that comments received after the close of the open public comment period are not consider in the final decision process; although they may post to the website.
12-Month Warranted Finding on a petition to revise critical habitat for the Florida manatee
Manatee Stock Assessment Reports (SAR)
2011 Florida Manatee Project Key Programmatic Assessment
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