ETWP; Final Rule to Establish an Additional Manatee Sancturary in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Florida

With this final rule, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) establishes an additional West Indian manatee (Trichecus manatus) sanctuary in Citrus County, Florida, adjacent to Kings Bay/Crystal River at the confluence of the Three Sisters Spring run with a residential canal, and prohibits all waterborne activities in the sanctuary for a period of November 15 through March 31 of each year. This final action will prevent the taking of manatees by harassment resulting from waterborne activities ``which includes, but is not limited to swimming, diving (including skin and scuba diving), snorkeling, water skiing, surfing, fishing, the use of water vehicles, and dredging and filling operations'' during the winter months. This increases the number of sanctuaries in Kings Bay from six to seven and has been initiated to prevent harassment caused by increasing public use at this site. This action is taken under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended.