Manatee Awareness

Manatee Protection in Pinellas County
	Pinellas County has made great progress toward protecting West Indian manatees and their habitat. As early as 1976, the Conservation and Coastal Zone Management Element of the Pinellas County General Plan recognized the importance of manatee protection and instituted policies to protect seagrass beds and other habitats for endangered and threatened species. By early 1998, Pinellas County had completed updates and adopted significant revisions to the Comprehensive Plan to support such measures as enforcing no-wake zones and seagrass protection areas, and providing manatee caution signage.
Additionally, other policies in the Plan continue to provide for protection, enhancement and restoration of natural systems such as seagrass beds, and regulate development that may impact coastal resources and habitats. Pinellas County's efforts to adhere to the various elements of the Plan are reflected in the various programs that are in place to protect manatees and their habitat. In 1992, the Pinellas County Manatee Watch Line telephone line was first activated. The program provides information to help document areas heavily used by manatees. Manatee sightings in Pinellas County waters are reported by the public through use of the Watch Line. The Watch Line logs an average of 450 reported sightings per year. Calls have been received from Pinellas County residents as well as tourists visiting from other states and countries. The program has helped to raise awareness of manatees in Pinellas County waters. Watch Line results show areas heavily used by manatees include: Ft. DeSoto, Coffee Pot Bayou, McKay Creek, and Spring and Whitcomb Bayous in Tarpon Springs. Manatees are drawn to these areas for a number of reasons. Freshwater springs located in Coffee Pot Bayou and Spring and Whitcomb Bayous attract manatees seeking fresh drinking water. Seagrass beds in the Ft. DeSoto and McKay Creek areas are prime feeding spots.
The County has an ordinance to regulate watercraft in several areas throughout the area. These areas include Safety Harbor, the Progress Energy Florida Bartow Plant, Weedon Island Preserve, Shell Key Preserve, and the Ft. DeSoto Seagrass Protection area. Pilings have been strategically placed to caution boaters of grass beds and shallow water. Informational kiosks have been placed at heavily used boat ramps to identify the caution areas. Pinellas County has an inventory of the marinas in the county. The inventory includes the number of wet and dry slips, and is updated through the County's Clean Marina Program.	For more information about manatee protection in Pinellas County, contact Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management's Environmental Lands Division at (727) 453-6505.
One element of the Clean Marina Program teaches manatee protection and awareness to marina owners and their employees.The County gives over 40 presentations on manatee protection each year to boater groups, civic organizations, local schools and other community organizations. Pinellas County has a variety of programs that educate, protect, enhance and restore habitats, and protect water quality. One program acquires many endangered lands throughout the County to protect both manatee habitat and water quality and to support restoration efforts in Boca Ciega Bay and Tampa Bay.

Manatee Protection in Pinellas County