Florida's manatee has been dealt a blow by the very agency charged with its protection. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to downlist the manatee, despite acknowledging that its population could be reduced in the next 45 years by as much as 50 percent overall, and as much as 80 percent in southwest Florida.
While the manatee meets federal and World Conservation Union (IUCN) definitions of "endangered," it no longer qualifies for endangered status in Florida. Due to pressure from boating, marine and development interests, the conservation commission earlier changed its state listing/delisting rules so that they do not align with federal or international criteria.
"The FWC is playing with semantics to make it appear that the manatee is doing better than it really is," said Laura Bevan, director of The HSUS Southeast Regional Office. "Now opponents will tout the downlisting as proof that the state needs less protection for manatees, which means they will push for less regulation of speed zones, development and the building of marinas and docks."
To be considered endangered under the new criteria, the manatee population, currently numbering 3,000, would have to decline, or be at risk of declining, by 80 percent—a situation that would likely doom the species.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida will surpass New York in population in five years, making it the third most populous state in the nation. Such rapid development increases threats to wildlife and makes species survival, and endangered species recovery, an enormous and difficult challenge.
The HSUS has been involved in efforts for many years to gain greater protections for manatees. The HSUS helped sue state and federal governments for their lack of enforcement of existing laws and regulations meant to protect the marine mammal. Now, The HSUS has joined Save the Manatee Club, as well as 16 other groups, in petitioning the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to revisit its imperiled species classification system.
Using what petitioners contend is a flawed system, the commission already downlisted the red-cockaded woodpecker, despite opposition from many scientists. If the current classification system is not changed, the groups fear that many of Florida’s at-risk species—such as the northern right whale, Florida panther and Florida black bear—could suffer the same fate as the woodpecker and manatee, resulting in less protection for the animals and lulling the public into thinking that these species have recovered.
The HSUS will continue to oppose any efforts to weaken protection for this special marine mammal. We urge you to contact Gov. Jeb Bush and ask him to support the petition to the FWC asking that the new listing criteria match federal and international criteria.
