Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, the state’s largest recreational fishing conservation group has become actively involved in the state and federal actions regarding new manatee sanctuaries and refuges.

"Our goal is to insure that the interests of saltwater anglers are fully and fairly considered and to offer more reasonable alternatives based on fact not emotion," said CCA Florida Executive Director Ted Forsgren. "We’re not proposing actions that would undermine the continuing recovery of manatees. However, we are very concerned that many of Florida’s premier saltwater fishing areas are being considered for severe boating restrictions or total closures at the very time when manatee population counts are at an all time high."

Last December, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) released information indicating that it is considering establishing manatee sanctuaries and refuges in 150 new areas. In addition, one of the major groups suing the state and federal government over manatee protection prepared a list recommending 115 new sanctuaries and refuges. These lists include many of Florida’s major saltwater fishing areas including; Chokoloskee Bay, Bull and Turtle Bays, Mosquito Lagoon, Pine Island Sound, Terra Ceia Bay, Cockroach Bay, Bishops Harbour and Whitewater Bay.

According to CCA Florida, some of the coastal areas identified for "no entry/no boating" zones have never had a watercraft related mortality in the 30 years that governmental agencies have been tracking manatee mortalities.

Environmental and animal rights groups sued both the USFWS and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to force them to increase protection for manatees; including creating more sanctuaries and refuges. In the federal lawsuit settlement agreement, the USFWS agreed to have new sanctuaries in place no later than September 28, 2001.

"We believe the animal rights groups and sanctuary proponents are overstating the problem and misleading the public. The issue is being driven more by emotion than by science," said Forsgren.

For example, CCA Florida noted that when the lawsuits were filed one of the major manatee groups stated that "manatee deaths continue to climb — causing manatees to sink further toward extinction" and " only an estimated 2,400 (manatees) survive in the wild in Florida's coastal waters."

However, last month scientists counted an all time record 3,276 manatees in statewide aerial surveys; more than double the number counted 10 years ago.

In some areas of the state, such as the Crystal River/Kings Bay area, manatee abundance has dramatically increased. The USFWS Florida Manatee Recovery Plan states, "Large aggregations of manatees apparently did not exist there until recent times. The first careful counts were made in the late 1960’s. Since then manatee numbers have increased significantly. In 1967 to 1968 Hartman counted 38 animals in King’s Bay. By 1981 to 1982, the maximum winter count increased to 114 manatees and in December 1997, the maximum count was 284."

The manatee increases in the Crystal River/Homossassa area have occurred over the same time period and in the same areas that saltwater recreational fishing activity for tarpon, redfish and seatrout has also dramatically increased.

"It’s pretty clear that you don’t have to prohibit all boating and recreational fishing for manatee populations to increase," said Karl Wickstrom, Publisher of Florida Sportsman magazine. "There are measures such as enhanced law enforcement, public education and innovative speed zones that provide greater manatee protection without prohibiting public access and fishing."

Environmental and animal rights groups also distribute information which leads people to falsely believe that boats are the largest source of manatee mortalities. However, scientific information collected for the past 30 years clearly indicates that natural, perinatal (natural birth related), and unknown causes constitute 70% of all manatee deaths — watercraft related is 23%.

In addition, CCA Florida pointed out that the boating mortality issue is not being accurately portrayed in the context of the overall growing manatee population. The latest statewide manatee count, showing 3,276 animals was the highest number since aerial wintertime surveys began in 1991. That number represents a 123% increase in the "minimum" population count over the last 10 years. During the same time span, manatee deaths attributed to watercraft have increased 50% — from 52 in 1991, to 83 in 1999, to 78 last year. In 1991, watercraft mortalities represented 3.5% of the total "minimum" manatee count. In 2000, it was also 3.5% of the minimum count.

"No one in our group wants any harm to come to manatees," said Jeff McFadden, Chairman, CCA Florida. "We believe recreational fishing and manatee conservation are compatible activities. Thus, we cannot stand by and watch the unfair closing of major fishing areas when manatee population counts are climbing to record numbers."