Archive for January 14th, 2007
Local, state, federal officers take to water to protect manatees
West Palm Beach — Scott Prasse navigated through the choppy waterway looking for manatees and anyone who could harm them.
“We want to make sure future generations see and enjoy the gentle giants,” the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer said as he patrolled a stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway near West Palm Beach Saturday.
To ensure their safety, local, state and federal law enforcement officers partnered this weekend for a manatee-awareness operation that brought together 43 law enforcement agencies in 140 boats, two helicopters and an airplane in 11 counties reminding boaters to slow down in manatee zones.
The campaign is called Operation Mermaid, from ancient speculation that hardened sailors — delusional from long periods of time at sea — mistook the sea cows for mermaids.
Prasse helped coordinate the effort, now in its fourth year. Manatee deaths hit a statewide record of 416 in 2006. The number of boat-related deaths last year was 86, the second highest on record. A total of 3,000 manatees are left in the state, he said. As temperatures plunge, manatees get on the move in search of warmer waters. In Palm Beach County, they favor a spot near a Florida Power & Light Co. plant in Riviera Beach, where a warm water discharge makes a perfect spot for the docile sea cows. “Three years ago we had 392 manatees there,” Prasse said. “It’s like their spa.”
Rough seas and warmer weather made it difficult to spot any manatees Saturday. Law enforcement focused on educating boaters.
“On a busy weekend it’s like I-95 on the water,” Prasse said of the area north of Currie Park in West Palm Beach. “This is the most violated speed zone in the state.”
The 2-mile long stretch known as “Port of Palm Beach Marker 5″ lacked high boating traffic Saturday. Authorities stopped several vessels violating idle and slow speed rules and told them about the effort. “They’re from Canada,” Palm Beach County Deputy Joe Pollock shouted from his zodiac boat after stopping a small boat. “It took me 20 minutes to explain what a manatee was.”
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