State Manatee Plan Review

Manatee Information

As a requirement of the State's Manatee Management Plan, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently evaluated manatee protection measures on the western side of Pinellas County. A similar study was undertaken for the Tampa Bay side of the County in 2003. As a result of this analysis, FWC is considering new manatee protection zones and requested that the County form a Local Rule Review Committee (LRRC) to review and comment on potential zones. The LRRC is a volunteer group of concerned stakeholders that is comprised of both boating/marine industry advocates and manatee/environmental advocates. They successfully completed their task and have submitted their recommendations to FWC.

 

• More information on this process can be found at the LRRC Notice to County from the FWC
• Committee Members
  

Status and Updates:

• Summary and Status - 12-22-2014
• Notice of Proposed Rule
• Local Rule Review Committee's Final Report to FWC
• FWC Response to LRRC and Maps of Potential Zones
• Maps Showing Potential NEW Zones Only
• Pinellas County Staff Comments on Zones

Upcoming meetings scheduled:

• No further meetings are scheduled at this time as the committee has completed its task.

Past meetings:

• June 4, 2014 - minutes
• May 28, 2014 - minutes
• May 21, 2014 - minutes
• May 13, 2014 - minutes
• May 8, 2014 - minutes
• May 2, 2014 - minutes
• April 22, 2014 - minutes

Information provided from the FWC:

• Contact Information
• LRRC Notice to County from the FWC
• LRRC Cover Letter
• LRRC Rule making Process
• Marine Animals Regulation: 379.2431
• Chapter: 68C-22 Manatees
• Manatee Data Review
• LRRC Preliminary Area Discussion
• Combined Maps Potential and Existing Zones
• Map of Acute vs Chronic Mortality
• Information from FWC Requested by the LRRC

Additional Information:

• Beach Swim Zones
• Information from Bill Morris
• Pinellas County Boating Access Task Force Report
• Pinellas County Manatee Watchline Data

 

 

Please contact Pinellas County Water and Navigation staff at (727) 453-3385 if you have any questions or require any additional information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to top