1493 – 1785              1903 – 1965             1976 – 1985           1996 - 2005

1824 – 1893              1966 – 1975             1986 – 1995           2006 - Present

References

2006 FWC approved the Clay County Manatee Protection Plan.

FWC approved the first revision of the Duval County Manatee Protection Plan.

Philippe Cousteau, grandson of the famous explorer/oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, visited Blue Spring State Park where his grandfather and father filmed, “The Forgotten Mermaids” over 30 years ago.  Some of the manatees that over-winter at this park were present when the elder Cousteau’s’ filmed this documentary.  Philippe’s visit of discovery at Blue Spring brought this response, “Perhaps if we protect the natural systems that allow manatees to flourish, future generations will know some of the magic I’ve experienced at Blue Spring during my own visit…and these forgotten mermaids will forever be remembered.” (Living on Earth)

Leslie Ward is the new administrator over the manatee research program.  Elsa Haubold moved to another position in FWC in the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation.

2007 – Amendments adopted to the state manatee protection rule for Duval County to make the state zones in the downtown Jacksonville area the same as the federal zones as revised in 2005.

FWC approves the Palm Beach County Manatee Protection Plan.

Over the course of the year, FWC staff developed the first ever draft Manatee Management Plan for Florida.  Previously the state program used the federal Manatee Recovery Plan to generally guide the program.  The draft was approved at the December 2007 Commission meeting.  The approved Manatee Management Plan provides the FWC manatee program managers and researchers with guidelines and direction for the next five years and beyond.

Manatees remain on the endangered species list.  FWC Commissioners directed staff to review criteria for reclassifying species listed as endangered, threatened or species of special concern.

The newly designed Save the Manatee license plate debuts at the end of 2007.  Florida artist Nancy Blauers designed the plate.  The new design is the first redesign of the plate since its introduction in March 1990.  Revenue from the plate sales will continue to fund manatee-related research and conservation management activities.

                          

FWC approves the Broward County Manatee Protection Plan, the 13th and final county required to have an MPP.  The approval of this plan signals the completion of various manatee conservation tasks that were laid out by the Governor and Cabinet in October 1989.

For additional information about recent manatee management or research progress, please review the posted annual reports.

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