the voice for manatees since 1981...the voice for manatees since 1981 april&7,&2016...
TRANSCRIPT
The Voice for Manatees Since 1981 April&7,&2016&Public&Comment&Processing&Attn:&Docket&No.&FWSAR4AESA2015A0178&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Headquarters,&MS:&BPHC&5275&Leesburg&Pike&Falls&Church,&VA&22041A3803&&&Re:&The&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service&(FWS)&Proposed&Rule:&Endangered&and&Threatened&Wildlife&and&Plants:&12AMonth&Finding&on& a& Petition& to& Downlist& the& West& Indian& Manatee,& and& Proposed& Rule& to& Reclassify& the& West& Indian& Manatee& as&Threatened&&To&Whom&It&May&Concern:&&Save% the% Manatee% Club% opposes% the% U.S.% Fish% and% Wildlife% Service's% (Service's)% proposed% West% Indian% manatee%downlisting.% %Although& the& 2007& FWS&5AYear&Review&of& the&West& Indian&Manatee& suggested&downlisting& the& species& to&threatened,&FWS&rightly&did¬&change&the&classification.&&The&flawed&analysis&contained&in&that&report&has&become&more&obvious&in&the&years&since&it&was&published.&&Environmental°radation&of&aquatic&habitat&has&become&worse&just&since&we&provided& comments& to& the& Service& in& 2014& (Appendix& A)& in& response& to& the& agency's& 90Aday& finding.& & Manatees& were&originally& included&on&the& federal&endangered&species& list& in&1967&due&to&dire& threats& from&pollution,& loss&of&habitat&and&speeding&boats.&&All&of&these&threats&have&grown&since&that&time.&An& increased&population& isn't&sufficient& justification&for&downlisting,& nor& do& counts&mean& that& the& population& has& recovered& adequately& to& ensure& its& survival.& & Low&population&numbers&were¬&the&reason&for&the&original&listing,&so&they&should¬&be&used&to&justify&reclassification.&&Unfortunately,&the&Service&appears&to&have&heavily&relied&on&population&counts&to&arrive&at&its¤t&proposal,&rather&than&evaluating&the&longAterm&viability& of& the&population&based&on& a& full& consideration&of& risks& and& threats,& not& simply& those& that& are&more&easily&modeled.&&&&The&12Amonth&finding&does¬&constitute&a&"thorough&review&of&the&best&scientific&and&data&available."& & Instead,& it& is&an&assortment&of&incomplete&information&that&could&have&just&as&easily&been&used&to&come&to&an&"endangered"&conclusion&had&that&been&the&wish&of&the¤t&leadership&and&administration.&&Downlisting&the&manatee&within&the&next&year&would&be&premature& due& to& ongoing,& uncontrolled& threats& throughout& the& species'& range.& & Threats& are& not& being& addressed& and&reduced&throughout&the&range&as&claimed&by&the&Service.&&The&agency's&expressed&belief&indicates&that&it&accepts&the&status&quo&that&has&led&to&record&mortality&in&recent&years.&&Mortality&events&linked&to&Unusual&(cold&and&Indian&RL)&and&Recurring&(red&tide)&Mortality&Events&have¬&been&addressed&either&within&the&Core&Biological&Model&or&outside&of&the&model,&even&though&from&2010A2015,&at&least&3,217&manatees&died&in&Florida&waters,&which&is&51.5%&of&the&highest&minimum&count&ever&recorded&(6,250&in&2016).&These&are¬&sustainable&levels&of&mortality,&yet&the&Service&has&no&plans&to&address&the&types&of&events& that& led& to& these& deaths.& & The& Service& has& also& not& adequately& addressed& cumulative& impacts& from& continued&development,& increased& vessel& use,& and& ongoing& water& quality& problems& that& threaten& the& aquatic& habitats& on& which&manatees& depend& for& survival.&& Downlisting& should& not& occur& until& threats& are& controlled,& including& rising& numbers& of&boating&hours,&algal&blooms&in&the&north&and&south&Indian&River&Lagoon,&persistent&red&tide&on&the&Southwest&Florida&coast,&loss& of& artificial& and& natural& warm& water& winter& habitat,& seagrass& and& SAV& loss,& impaired& water& quality,& inadequate&sanctuary& protections& at& springs,& and& the& absence& of& an& overlay& of& state&manatee& protection& speed& zones&with& federal&zones.& & The& Service& has& also& failed& to& account& for& increasing& threats& and& has& not& determined&what& level& of& population&growth&and&subsequent&loss&are&sustainable&for&Florida&manatees,&even&though&the&Core&Biological&Model&predicts&future&population& growth& followed&by&decline.& & The& Service&will& need& the& full& strength&of& the& ESA&behind& it& to& achieve&what& is&needed&to&ensure&the&manatees'&longAterm&survival.&&&500&N.&Maitland&Ave.& •&Maitland,& FL& 32751& •& 407A539A0990& •& Fax& 407A539A0871& •& 800A432AJOIN& (5646)& •&www.savethemanatee.org&
&&
&In&recent&years,&the&Service&has&failed&to&update&the&Florida&manatee&recovery&plan&(2001)&even&though&significant&issues&with&the¤t&criteria&were&identified&in&2004&and&also&failed&to&revise&critical&habitat&designation,&despite&the&agency's&determination& that& the&action&was&warranted& (but&precluded)& in&2010.& &Even& the&update& to& the&Core&Biological&Model& is&lagging& behind& schedule,& leading& the& Service& to& base& its& 12Amonth& finding& on& data& that& does& not& represent& the& best&available&science.&&No&significant&progress&towards&recovery&has&occurred&in&recent&years,&yet&the&agency&has&devoted&time&and&effort&to&writing&the&12Amonth&finding&and&pushing&a&downlisting&agenda.&&Had&the&Service&committed&the&necessary&effort& to&manatee& recovery& since&2007,& the&Florida&manatee&might& today&warrant&a& status&change,&but& the&agency&can't&change&the&status&without&having&put&the&work&in&to&move&closer&to&longAterm&viability&and&recovery.&The&Service&needs&to&commit& to&what& it& is&willing& to& do& to& safeguard& natural& habitats& and& avoid& catastrophic& losses,& and& develop& a& vision& to&secure&the&future&for&this&species&within&that&context.&&While&the&Service&can't&predict&the&future,&it&has&a&responsibility&to&consider&what& is& likely&to&occur&based&on&history,&projections,&and&trends.& &Failure&to&consider&the&broad&range&of&factors&that&influence&manatee&survival&would&leave&the&agency&deficient&in&its&legal&responsibilities.&&&The&Service&expects&to&receive&an&updated&Core&Biological&Model&report&from&the&U.S.G.S.&in&summer&2016,&containing&data&more&recent&than&what&was&included&in&the&12Amonth&finding.& &The%Service%should%allow%the%public%to%comment%on%any%documents%the%agency%is%using%in%its%determination%which%have%not%been%made%available%to%the%public.&&Since&the&report&was& not& available& for& this& public& comment& period,& the& opportunity% for% public% review% is% required% by% statute% and%administrative% law% for% any% information% the% agency% is% relying% upon% in% pursuing% its% recommendation,% and% there% are%concerns%about%the%sufficiency%or%accuracy%of%existing%data,%the%Service's%Secretary%should%trigger%the%6%month%extension%provision% in% ESA% Section% 4(b)(6)(B)(i)% [16&USC& 1533(b)(6)(B)(i)]% to% allow% for% the%new%data% to% be%made% available% to% the%public%and%the%scientific%community.%%%%&Significant%Portion%of%Range%%&We& maintain& that& the& West& Indian& manatee& is& endangered& throughout& a& significant& portion& of& its& range,& therefore&necessitating&an&endangered&listing&throughout&the&entire&range.&& In&its&12Amonth&finding,&the&Service&declines&to&make&a&finding& regarding&whether& the&manatee& is&endangered& in&a& "significant&portion&of& its& range."&Per& the&Service's& July&2014&policy&(published&at&79&Fed.&Reg.&37578),&if&a&species&is&endangered&in&a&significant&portion&of&its&range,&it&must&be&protected&as&such&throughout&its&entire&range.&&In&preliminarily&deciding&that&the&West&Indian&manatee&is&threatened,&the&agency&has¬&even&evaluated&whether&the&species&is&endangered&in&a&significant&portion&of&its&range,&which&is&a&clear&violation&of&the&statutory&language.&&&&Florida%Manatees%& &Limitations%of%Relying%on%Models%for%Listing%Decisions%&The& Service& should& explain& to& what& degree& the& Core& Biological& Model& (CBM)& weighed& into& decision& making& and& how&significantly&other& factors&were&considered.& &The&Runge&model& is&clear&about&what& it&does&and&does¬& include,&but&the&Service&did¬&address&how& it&considered&the&many&factors& that&were¬&addressed& in& the&CBM.& &The&Service&does¬&know& whether& adult& survival& rates,& particularly& in& the& Atl& and& SW& were& negatively& impacted& by& recent& years'&unprecedented&mortality.&&We&request&to&know&how&the&Service&analyzed&these&record&manatee&dieAoffs&and&assessed&the&effects&of& such&events&on&population& size&and&growth& rates.& &We&also& request& to&know&how& the&Service&determined& the&extent& to& which& such& events& will& affect& the& population& over& time.& & We& wholeheartedly& disagree& with& the& Service's&statement& in& the&12Amonth& finding& that& "counts&made&before&and&after& the&dieAoffs,&when&considered& in& the& context&of&positive&demographic&indicators,&suggest&a&certain&resiliency&in&the&Florida&population."&&The&much&more&likely&scenario&is&that&the&population&was&higher&that&what&had&been&counted&up&to&that&point&by&the&synoptic&surveys.&&We&additionally&wish&to&point&out&that&it&is&disingenuous&to&put&a&2015&date&on&a&report&that&only&includes&analyses&through&2012,&and&the&actual&data&modeled&are&no&more&recent&than&20071.&&The&model&alone&does¬&represent&the&best&available&science&and&in&fact&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&1&"By&the&end&of&2012,&however,&data&processing&for&MIPS&had¬&yet&been&completed&for&the&extreme&cold&winters&of&2009–2010&and&2010–2011,&which&killed&a&large&number&of&manatees&as&documented&by&carcass&recovery&and&necropsy&data.&Annual&survival&estimates&were&based&on&the&entire&period&of&record,&for&which&the&sampling&periods&were&winter&1982–83&through&2008–09&for&the&Northwest&and&Atlantic®ions,&winter&1985–86&through&2008–09&for&the&Upper&St.&Johns®ion,&and&winter&1995–96&through&2008–09&for&the&Southwest®ion…&&We&determined&mean&annual&survival&rate&for&the&period&of&record&for&each®ion,&but&because&of&possible&remaining&bias&as&documented&in&the&simulation&study&(Peñaloza&and&others,&2014),&we&dropped&the&survival&estimate&for&2008&for&all®ions&&(Runge&et&al.&2015)."&
there&are& issues&that&the&model& is¬&capable&of&considering,&which&the&Service&must&consider&under&different&analyses.&&
The&CBM&only&addresses& "watercraftA& related&mortality,& loss&of&warmAwater&habitat,& red& tide,&mortality& in&waterAcontrol&
structures& (gates&and& locks),&and&mortality& resulting& from& interaction&with&marine&debris& (for&example,& fishing& lines,& trap&
lines)."& & The& Service& acknowledged& in& its& 12Amonth& finding& that& the& CBM& cannot& yet& fully& consider& 2010A2013& events.&&
Runge&et&al.'s&2015&report&states,&"Since&2009,&however,&there&have&been&a&number&of&unusual&events&that&have¬&yet&
been&incorporated&into&this&analysis,&including&several&severely&cold&winters,&a&severe&redAtide&die&off,&and&substantial&loss&
of&seagrass&habitat&in&Brevard&County.&Fla.&&Further,&the&version&of&the&Core&Biological&Model&used&in&2012&makes&a&number&
of&assumptions&that&are&under&investigation."&&If&the&Service&is&relying&heavily&on&the&model,&and&these&events&are&known,&
but& can't& yet& be& included,& how& can& the& Service&meet& its& legal& obligation& to& base& its&decision& on& the& best& scientific& data&
available?& & In& the& case& Conner& v.& Burford,& 848& F.2d& 1441,& 1453554& (9th& Cir.& 1988)& (“the& FWS& cannot& ignore& available&
biological&info”&without&“violat[ing]&the&ESA&by&failing&to&use&the&best&information&available…”).&&Without&incorporating&all&
data,& it& is& impossible& to& assess& the& longAterm& viability& of& the& Florida&manatee& population.& The& CBM&additionally& fails& to&
account& for& increases& in& the& modeled& threats,& including& threats& from& increased& development,& frequent& algal& blooms,&
including&harmful&algal&blooms,&and&the&anticipated&impacts&of&climate&change.&&Furthermore,&the&CBM&does¬&deal&with&
loss&of&habitat&due&to&waterfront&development&or&climate&change&impacts.&&Models&are&based&on&assumptions.&&In&this&case,&
the&CBM&assumes& "current& threats& remain& constant& indefinitely."& &Runge&et& al.& (2015)&also& state,& "We& removed& the& five&
threats& one& at& a& time& and& compared& the& results& of& the&model& to& the& status& quo& (the& baseline& parameters& in& the& CBM&
project& the& population& in& the& continued& presence& of& all& identified& threats)& (p.45A47).& It& is& important& to& note& that& these&
scenarios& were& 'all& or& nothing';& either& a& particular& threat& was& there& at& its& current& level& (and& remained& at& that& level&
indefinitely)&or&it&was&removed&completely."&&This&approach&is&counter&to&everything&managers,&including&the&Service,&know&
about&Florida&manatees&and&their&habitat.&&Various&threats&including&red&tide&and&cold&stress&can&and&should&be&expected&to&
worsen&over&time,&based&on&the&best&available&science®arding&human&population&growth,&climate&change,&and&related&
environmental°radation,&making&the&"status&quo"&an&unrealistic&and&invalid&scenario&for&assessing&future&threat&levels,&
and&thereby¬&the&best&available&science.&&Furthermore,&the&CBM&and&Service&use&probability&of&quasiAextinction&as&their&
metric&for&assessing&status,&but&as&the&2015&Runge&et&al.&report&explains,&"a&relevant&measure&of&status…&can&be&expressed&
as&the&probability&of&quasiAextinction&over&the&ensuing&y&years,&where&quasiAextinction&is&defined&as&an&effective&population&size&of& fewer&than&z&on&either&the&East&coast&or&the&Gulf&coast.&Note&that&y&and&the&probabilities&of&quasiAextinction&that&designate&a&change&in&status&are&policy¶meters&that&have¬&yet&been&determined&for&manatees…"&&&The&policy&has¬&
been&set,&but&reclassification&decisions&are&being&made&arbitrarily&and&at&great&risk&to&West&Indian&Manatees.&
&
The& Runge& et& al.& 2015& report& expects& that,& "Over& the& next& century& (2010A2110),& a& significant& portion& of& this& capacity& is&
expected&to&be&lost&through&the&retirement&of&industrial&facilities&and&reduction&in&spring&flow…&the&average&longAterm&loss&
of& capacity& is&expected& to&be&18.6&percent& (10.8A30.3%)&at&highAquality& sites,&and&75.5&percent& (49.8A88.8%)&at&mediumA
quality&sites."&&The&report&goes&on&to&state,&"the&populations&are&expected&to&increase&slightly&over&the&next&several&decades&
but& then& show& longAterm& decline& with& the& loss& of& warmAwater& capacity."& & The& Service& cannot& claim& threats& are& under&
control& and& the& species& is&moving& towards& recovery&when& such& huge& losses& are& anticipated& in& the& future.& & There& is& no&
mention&of&what&this&would&do&to&the&population&genetically,&and&how&those&genetic&effects&would&further&limit&the&health&
and&survivability&of&the&population.&&It&is&also¬&clear&under&what&scenario&these&losses&would&be&realized&and&the&Service&
has& not& committed& to& undertaking& any& activity& or& rulemaking& that& would& prevent& large& scale&mortality& and& population&
decline.&&Additionally,&Runge&et&al.&(2015)&state&that,&"&Under&the&status&quo&scenario,&a&substantial&shift&in&the&distribution&
of& manatees& within& the& State& is& expected& with& the& Northwest& and& Upper& St.& Johns& regions& showing& large& projected&
increases,&and&the&Southwest&and&Atlantic®ions&showing&moderate&longAterm&decreases.&&Currently,&17.4&percent&of&the&
statewide&population&is&found&in&the&Northwest&and&Upper&St.&Johns®ions…&this&is&expected&to&increase&to&69.6&percent&
in& 100& years..."& & The& Service& has& stated& no& plans& to& ensure& that& there& is& protected& habitat& available& to& which& these&
manatees&can&transition,&and&protected&corridors&for&them&to&travel&to&and&from&these&destinations.&&&
&
The& U.S.&Marine&Mammal& Commission,& in& its& September& 2014& response& to& the& Service's& request& for& comments& on& the&
petition&received&from&PLF,&¬ed&that&before&the&Service&could&make&a&decision®arding&a&status&change,&it&needed&to&
complete&a&review&of&manatee&cold&stress&and&red&tie&related&mortality&events&in&recent&years&and&assess&the&effects&of&this&
unprecedented&mortality&on&the&Florida&manatee's&population&size&and&growth&rate,&estimate&trends& in&the&frequency&of&
such&events&and&project&their&effects&on&the&population&over&time,&and&assess&the&future&anticipated&loss&of&artificial&power&
plant&discharges&on&the&longAterm&viability&of&the&Florida&manatee.&&The&MMC&also&stated&assurances&were&needed&that&the&
work&required&to&enhance&and&protect&natural&warmAwater&refuges&would&be&carried&out&in&the&years&to&come&(Appendix&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&
B).&&None&of&the&Commission's&recommendations&were&followed.&
&
The%ESA%Five%Factors%&
Reclassification&decisions&are&to&be&made&in&consideration&of&five&factors&listed&in&the&Endangered&Species&Act.&&To&justify&a&
downlisting,& the& Service's& analysis& of& the& five& factors&must&conclude& that& each& factor& has& abated& to& the& point& that& the&manatee&is&no&longer&in&danger&in&all&or&a&significant&portion&of&its&range&as&a&result,&but&in&many&places&in&the&12Amonth&
finding,& it& just&outlines&risk&factors&that&manatees&still&face.& &The&Service&is&relying&very&heavily&on&its& interpretation&of&"in&
danger&of&extinction"&as&being&"on&the&brink&of&extinction",&focusing&heavily&on&population&increases.&&Instead&of&showing&
that& the& five& factor& test&has&been&met,& the&agency& is&using&population& increases& in& an&attempt& to&demonstrate& that& the&
manatee&is¬&"on&the&brink&of&extinction."&&The&Service&is&relying&far&too&heavily&on&an&unofficial&memo,&even&though&the&
memo&clearly&states&that&it&does¬&represent&official&binding&policy&of&the&agency.&&&Even&the&memo&qualifies&manatees&as&
"on& the& brink& of& extinction"& under& the& document's& 4th& category,& which& entails& "species&with& still& relatively&widespread&
distribution& that&have&nevertheless&suffered&ongoing&major& reductions& in&numbers,& range,&or&both,&as&a& result&of& factors&
that&have¬&been&abated&(FWS&Guidance&Interpretation&of&"in&danger&of&extinction'&under&the&ESA&[Dec.&22,&2010])."&&The&
Service& has& not& adequately& shown& that& the& five& factors& have& abated& sufficiently& such& that& the&manatee& is& no& longer& in&
danger&of&extinction&in&all&or&a&portion&of&its&range,&since&many&of&the&five&factors&have¬&improved&for&the&manatee&but&
are&in&fact&likely&getting&worse.&&
%Present%or%Threatened%Destruction,%Modification,%or%Curtailment%of%Its%Habitat%or%Range&&
The&first&of&the&five&factors&is,&"The&present&or&threatened&destruction,&modification,&or&curtailment&of&its&habitat&or&range."&&
Given&everything&known&about&the¤t&and&anticipated&status&of&habitat&in&Florida,&the&important&work&that&has&yet&to&
be& done& to& secure& it,& and& the& years& of& time& this&will& take,& coupled&with& Florida's& growing& human& population& that& now&
exceeds&20&million&and&is&estimated&to&reach&26&million&by&2030&(Florida&Chamber&of&Commerce&2015),&it&is&clear&that&this&is&
a&real&and&significant&threat&that&has¬&yet&been&sufficiently&controlled.&&Even&though&the&number&of&Florida&manatees&has&
grown& since&management&efforts&began,& the&habitat& critical& to& their& longAterm& survival& faces& increasing& threats& that& are&
likely& to& worsen& further& if& Florida& doesn't& change& course& with& regard& to& natural& resource& protection.& & A& news& article&
reporting&on& the&projected&human&population&growth& stated,& "Florida& faces&a&projected&daily&water& shortfall&of&1&billion&
gallons& a& day& by& 2030,& according& to& the& Department& of& Environmental& Protection"& (O'Donnell& 2015,& Appendix& C).& & In&
addition,& there& is&no& longAterm&plan& for& the&anticipated& loss&of&artificial&winter&warm&water&habitat&on&which&more& than&
60%&of& the&Florida&manatee&population&depends.& &The&12Amonth&finding&states,&"Within&the&southeastern&United&States,&
the& potential& loss& of& warm& water& at& power& plants& and& natural,& warmAwater& springs& used& by& wintering& manatees& is&
identified&as&a&significant&threat&(p.69)".&&The&finding&also&acknowledges&(p.65)&that&"ensuring&the&continued&availability&of&
warmAwater& refugia& sites& is& a& critical& need& related& to& this& factor."& & However,& the& finding& does& not& explain& how& this&
"significant&threat"&or&"critical&need"&will&be&addressed.&&&
&
The&Warm&Water&Task&Force,&formed&by&the&Service,&and&in&which&the&Service&participated,&drafted&a&report&in&2004,&which&
was& then&updated& in&2011& (USFWS&2011a,&Appendix&D).& &The& report& stated,& "The&most&critical& factor& that& the&continued&
existence&of&the&Florida&manatee&depends&upon&is&the&maintenance&of&winter,&warmAwater&habitat"&and:&&
&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&The&reliance&of&manatees&on&industrial&sites&and&on&springs&significantly&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&affected&by&human&activities&has&placed&the&very&future&of&the&Florida&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&manatee&directly&in&our&hands.&&The&continued&operation&of&the&industrial&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&plants&hinges&on&operational&and&economic&constraints&and&the&loss&of&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&warm&water&at&some&or&all&of&these&sites&is&considered&to&be&an&eventual&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&certainty….&Given&that&the&majority&of&the&Florida&manatee&population&now&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&uses&power&plant&outfalls&ad&natural&springs&for&warm&water,&the&future&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&status&of&the&Florida&manatee&will&be&affected&by&what&happens&to&these&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&sites…&&The&protection&and&enhancement&of&natural&sites&and&how&we&address&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&the&loss&of&industrial&sites&will&set&the&course&for&the&manatee's&future.&&&
&
The&Task&Force&also&"determined&that&flow&rates&at&natural&springs¤tly&used&by&manatees&as&winter&habitat,&or&that&
might&be&used&by&manatees& in& the& future,&must&be&maintained&at& current& levels."& &This&has¬&been&done.& &At&multiple&
springs&including&Chassahowitzka,&Weeki&Wachee,&and&Homosassa,&additional&flow&reductions&were&authorized&as&part&of&
the&Minimum&Flow&and& Level& (MFL)&process,& despite& the& fact& that& flows&were&already& lower& than&historic& levels.& & These&three&systems&have&also&experienced&significant&reductions& in&SAV&coverage,&as&documented& in&Frazer&et&al.& (2006).& &The&authors& found& an& approximately& 75%& reduction& in& mean& SAV& biomass& in& the& Weeki& Wachee,& 67%& reduction& in& the&Homosassa,& and& a& 31%& reduction& in& the& Chassahowitzka& (Appendix& E).& & The&WWTF& report& provided& "Suggested&Habitat&Criteria&for&Manatee&Reclassification."&&Specifically,&the&following&criteria&are&recommended&for&downlisting:&& && & (1)&An&established&network&of&primary&natural&and&industrial&warmAwater&sites&within&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&each&of&the&four&recognized&winter&subpopulations&as&identified&in&List&2;&&& & (2)&the&identified&warmAwater&sites&are&protected&by&enforceable&rules&to®ulate&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&human&activity&(i.e.,&manatee&sanctuary,&no&entry&zone,&etc.),&during&winter&aggregations;&&& & (3)&in&the&event&of&the&loss&of&a&warmAwater&site&mitigation&in&the&form&of&one&or&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&more&functionally&equivalent&warmAwater&sites&near&the&eliminated&site&will&be&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&created&in&a&timely&manner;&&& & (4)&the®ional&warmAwater&networks&shall&provide&primary&warmAwater&habitat&equivalent&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&to&that,&which&is¤tly&provided&in&List&2.&&The&WWTF& document& also& states& that& research& including& sensory& cues& for& navigation& and& habitat& selection,& efficacy& of&alternative&actions&to&wean&manatees&off&of&industrial&discharges,&and&simulations&of&different&shutdown&scenarios&should&be&completed.&&The&report&also&recognizes&that,&"The&funding&necessary&to&implement&the&potential&management&actions&will&need&to&be&identified&and&solicited&in&an&equitable&and&timely&manner."&&&Given&the&anticipated&loss&of&artificial&warm&water,&the&task&list&from&the&WWTF,&and&the&absence&of&a&comprehensive&plan&or&funding&to&address&this&loss,&the&proposed&downlisting&is&premature&and&counter&to&the&species&longAterm&recovery&potential.&&&More&than&60%&of&Florida's&manatees&use&artificial&warm&water&sites,&including&80%&of&manatees&on&the&Atlantic&coast&(Laist&et& al.& 2013,& Appendix& F).& & This& means& that& only& ~20%& of& the& population& currently& relies& on& natural& springs& or& passive&thermal&basins.&&The&Service&does¬&control&their&operation.&These&sites&are&expected&to&disappear&in&fewer&than&40&years&because& of& environmental& concerns& associated& with& warmAwater& discharges,& among& other& factors.& & This& time& frame& is&imminent.& &Many&manatees&know&no&other&winter&habitat&and&history& tells&us& that&when&warm&water&disappears,&many&manatees&will&stay&in&place,&dying&from&the&cold&as&they&wait,&hopeful&for&a&return&of&warm&water&(Laist&and&Reynolds&2005,&Appendix& G).& &Mistakes& at& even& one& important& location& could& result& in& the& catastrophic& loss& of& up& to& 17%& of& Florida's&manatee& population,& while& failed& planning& at& multiple& locations& could& kill& thousands& of& manatees.& & It& is& possible& to&transition&manatees&to&safe,&reliable,&and&sustainable&natural&sites,&but&the&groundwork&that&must&be& laid&will& take&years&and&a&great&deal&of&financial&investment.&&Many&springs&and&other&refugia&have&been°raded&over&time,&suffering&nutrient&pollution&from&land&use&in&surrounding&areas,&and&reduced&flows&from&human&consumption.&&Some&springs&and&refugia&have&been& drowned& under& water& backed& up& by& dams,& or& otherwise& altered& in& ways& that& reduce& or& eliminate& their& use& by&manatees.& & Flows& at& essentially& all& springs& are& reduced& below& historic& levels.& & Human& demand& on& Florida's& freshwater&supply& continues& to& grow.& & Other& areas& lack& sanctuaries& that& would& protect& manatees& from& harassment,& which& limits&manatee&use.&&Projects&on&the&scale&of&restoring&the&Ocklawaha&River&where&approximately&20&springs&are&inundated&by&the&Rodman&Dam,&which&also& limits&access& to&and&use&of&Silver&Springs,&protecting& travel& corridors,& creating&sanctuaries&and&performing&restoration&at&springs&and&other&refugia,&and&possibly&relocating&thousands&of&manatees&may&be&required.&&The&cost&of&land&acquisition&and&restoration&work&for&sites&that&may&be&needed&for&manatees&could&easily&surpass&$100&million&U.S.&&A&comprehensive&plan&must&be&developed&to&address&this&threat&before&downlisting&the&species.&&Taylor&(2006)&stated&that,&"it&is&important&to&have&the&foresight&to&protect&and&increase&the&availability&of&suitable&natural&warmAwater&resources&due&to&the&inevitable&future&decrease&of&manAmade&warmAwater&(Appendix&H)."&&Furthermore,&it&is&in&the&best&interest&of&the&Service&to&discourage&large&aggregations&of&many&hundreds&of&manatees,&as&this&is&one&way&to&safeguard&the&population&against& disease,& which& is& another& of& the& 5& factors.& & The&Marine&Mammal& Commission&wrote& the& Service& in& April& 2010,&stating,&"For&years,&managers&have&known&that&warmAwater&production&will&cease&or&decline&significantly&as&power&plants&are& closed& or& their& operations& changed.& & The& need& for& effective&mitigation& has& been& obvious,& and& the&Marine&Mammal&Commission&has&written&to&the&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service&on&numerous&occasions&to&emphasize&that&the&longAterm&recovery&and&conservation&of&the&Florida&manatee&depends&on&adequate&warmAwater&refuges&in&different&parts&of&Florida&(Appendix&I)."& & The& Service& responded& the& following&month& saying& that&when&a&new& recovery& team&was& reconvened,& it& "will& guide&the…&mitigation,&if&any,&for&the&industrial&warm&water&sources&(Dohner&2010,&Appendix&J)."&&&&The&Service&needs&the&full&force&of&the&ESA&behind&it&to&undertake&the&scope&of&projects&required&to&secure&the&manatees'&future.&&For&example,&if&the&Service&requires&the&power&companies&to&fund&some&of&the&work&needed&to&research&and&plan&
for&manatees'&transition&away&from&artificial&warm&water,&perhaps&by&adding&a&fee&per&kilowatt&hour&that&would&be&paid&by&consumers,& it& would& be&more& likely& to& sway& the& PSC& and& the& public& towards& a& supportive& position& for& an& endangered&species&with&the&understanding&that&these&actions&would&help&the&species&move&towards&downlisting&and&recovery.& & It& is&important&to¬e&that&the&power&plants&have&been&receiving&the&benefits&of&reduced&costs&of&using&onceAthrough&cooling&systems&to&the&detriment&of&the&environment,&and&a&small&per&kw&fee&would¬&be&a&rate&increase&or&tax,&but&rather&would&be&akin&to&the&oil&spill&contingency&fund&that&drilling&companies&are&required&to&contribute&to&as&a&cost&of&the&risk&of&their&operations.&&With®ard&to&springs,&the&Service's&12Amonth&finding&acknowledges&that&"Florida’s&springs&have&seen&drastic&declines&in&flows&and&water&quality&and&many&springs&have&been&altered&(dammed,&silted&in,&and&otherwise&obstructed)&to&the&point&that&they&are&no&longer&accessible&to&manatees…&Declining&flows&provide&less&usable&water&for&wintering&manatees."&In&order&to&transition&manatees&to&natural&warm&water&sites,& it& is&essential& that&spring&and&river& flows&are& improved&and&maintained.& & The& federal& government& lacks& authority& to& enforce&MFLs,&which& are& already& violated& in& certain& cases,& and&which&are&often& set& at& thresholds& less&protective& than& they& should&be& to& avoid&harm& to&wildlife&habitat& and& the&natural&system.&&The&MFL&process&has&a&number&of&significant&problems&including&the&fact&that&the&model&on&which&the&Districts&rely&to& determine& the& effect& of& withdrawals& on& the& historic& flows& underestimates& impacts& by& an& order& of& magnitude.& & The&protected&status&of&manatees&has&been&important&in&helping&to&set&MFLs&at&levels&that&are&more&protected.&&With&a&lowered&manatee& status,& state&officials&may&have& less& incentive& to&protect& that&habitat& against& consumptive&water&uses& and& less&stringent&MFLs.&&In&response&to&longAterm&flow&declines,&the&Suwannee&River&WMD&in&2007&established&MFLs&for&the&Lower&Suwannee&River&and& for&Fanning&and&Manatee&Springs.&These&MFLs&allow&groundwater&withdrawals& to&cause&up&to&a&20&percent&reduction&in&average&spring&and&river&flows.&Despite&these&MFLs,&Lower&Suwannee&River&flows&continue&to&decline,&and&recent&analysis&shows&that&the&Manatee&and&Fanning&Springs&MFLs&are¬&being&met.& &Fanning&Springs&has&changed&from&a&first&to&a&second&magnitude&spring&(Knight&2016a,&Appendix&K).&&These&issues&speak¬&only&to&habitat&destruction&but&also&to&the&inadequacy&of&existing®ulatory&mechanisms&to&protect&the&habitat.&&Water& quality& is& another& important& factor& that& influences& manatee& habitat.& & Florida's& springs& and& surface& waters& are&negatively&affected&by&nonpoint&source&pollution.&&Earlier&this&year,&Spear&reported,&"Central&Florida's&Indian&River&Lagoon,&North&Florida's&Apalachicola&Bay&and&a&trio&of&coastal&estuaries& in&South&Florida&are& in&the&throes&of&ecosystem&collapses&that&threaten&sea&grass,&fisheries,&recreation&and&local&economies.&What's&to&blame?&A&historic&toll&of&chronic&pollution&and&crippled&drainage&has&been&compounded&by&drought&in&recent&years&and&El&Niño&downpours&this&winter&(Appendix&L)."&&The&Service& has& not& explained& how& it& is& working& to& comprehensively& correct& reduced& water& quality& at& Florida's& springs& or&downstream&and&coastal&waters.& &Florida&DEP's&Nonpoint&Source&Program&Update& (2015)&states,&"Nonpoint&source& (NPS)&pollution& is& the& largest& contributor& of& pollutants& to& Florida's& surface& and& ground& waters….& Typical& categories& of& NPS&pollution&in&Florida&include&runoff&or&leaching&from&agricultural&lands;&erosion&and&sedimentation&from&unvegetated&lands,&construction& sites,& or& unpaved& roads;& inadequate& onAsite& sewage& treatment& and& disposal& systems,& or& septic& tanks;& and&stormwater&sheetflow&runoff,&especially&from&highly&urban&areas&(Appendix&M)."&&The&reduction&of&nonpoint&sources&is&fully&contingent& on& each& state's&willingness& to& address& this& issue,& the& only& penalty& for& not&making& progress& being& a& possible&denial& of& federal& funding& for& projects.& & EPA& doesn't& even& review& Florida's& completed& Basin&Management& Action& Plans.&&Among&Florida's& impaired&waters&are&the&Suwannee&and&Santa&Fe&Rivers.& &Both&water&bodies&were&declared& impaired&by&excess&nitrogen&caused&by&upland& runoff& in&2008.&DEP&adopted&a&BMAP& for& the&Santa&Fe& in&2012,&which&calls& for&a&50%&reduction&in&nitrogen&loading,&but&it&doesn't&provide&deadlines&or&provoke&enforcement&action&to&force&the&needed&changes&(Knight& 2012,& Appendix& N).& & Dr.& Knight& wrote& about& the& Suwannee& River& Basin& again& earlier& this& year,& explaining& that&"average&flows&in&the&Suwannee&River&are&less&than&one&half&of&historic&flows,&and&more&than&5,000&tons&of&nitrogen&(a&90%&increase)&is&now&flowing&out&of&the&Lower&Suwannee&River&into&the&Gulf&of&Mexico&every&year.&&This&excessive&nitrogen&load&is&resulting&in&a&rising&frequency&of&toxic&red&tide&events&at&the&mouth&of&the&river…"&(2016b,&Appendix&O).&&Algal&blooms&are&referred&to&in&the&12Amonth&finding&as&"a&localized&threat&(p.91)."&&Some&algal&blooms&spread&across&many&miles&and&in&recent&months,&multiple&events&have&persisted&in&various&locations&from&Brevard&County,&to&Dade&County,&and&along& the& West& Florida& coast.& & These& events& can& actually& be& widespread.& & The& Service,& nor& any& other& agency& has& a&comprehensive&plan&to&address&the&runAoff&issues&that&contribute&turbid&conditions,&salinity&changes,&excess&nutrients,&algal&blooms,&or&resultant&loss&of&vegetation&(SAV,&floating,&or&emergent)&and&seagrass&&within&areas&that&contain&key&manatee&foraging&grounds.&&&&In&the&North&Indian&River&Lagoon,&green&and&brown&algae&have&been&blooming&for&several&months.&&Waymer&and&Berman&reported&earlier&this&year&about&the&bloom&from&Titusville&to&Sebastian&Inlet:&"The&green&algae&that&caused&the&Indian&River&
Lagoon's&worstAknown&seagrass&collapse&are&back,&alongside&brown&algae&that&have&already&been&smothering&the&estuary's&most& vital& plant& for&months& (Appendix& P)."& & The&brown& tide& arrived& early,& in& January,& and& is& likely& to& interfere&with& the&important&spring&growing&season&for&seagrass.&&Spear&reported&that&"Officials&suspect&heavy&winter&rains&delivered&a&gush&of&polluted&storm&water&to&a&lagoon&already&in&critically&poor&health,&feeding&the&algae&invasion."&&Spear"ed&a&Brevard&fishing&guide,&who&said,&"There&is&no&place&in&Brevard&County&that&has&clean&water."&&Lapointe&et&al.&reported&in&2015&that&nonpoint&source&nitrogen&from&sources& including&septic&tanks&are°rading&coastal&and&estuarine&ecosystems&(Appendix&Q).&&Waymer&reported&in&2016&that,&"Algae&blooms&over&the&past&five&years…&have&plagued&the&lagoon.&&The&blooms&have&erased& much& of& the& hardAfought& seagrass& gains,& decades& in& the& making,& killing& more& than& half& the& lagoon's& seagrass&(Appendix&R)."&&Pulver&also&reported&earlier&this&year&that,&"Throughout&Mosquito&Lagoon,&boaters,&fishermen,&and&others&say& conditions& are& the& worst& they've& ever& seen& (2016a,& Appendix& S)."& & In& a& separate& article,& she& reported& that& "State&officials& said& recently& that& chlorophyll& levels& as& a& result& of& the& bloom& are& higher& than& they& were& during& an& earlier&'superbloom'&in&2011&(Pulver&2016b,&Appendix&T)."&&The&IRL&in&Brevard&County&has&been&the&target&of&seagrass&restoration&efforts&over&the&years,&but&a&60%&loss&was&documented&between&2009&and&2012&within&the&segment&managed&by&the&St.&Johns&River&Water&Management&District&(Barker&et&al.&2016,&Appendix&U).&&The&manatee&Unusual&Mortality&Event&remains&open.&&Below&are&images&from&a&presentation&given&by&Hall&et&al.&at&the&2016&Indian&River&Lagoon&Symposium&in&Ft.&Pierce,&showing&the&extent&of&seagrass&loss&within&Brevard&County&in&recent&years&(Appendix&V):&&
&&
&&A&portion&of&the&Southern&Indian&River&Lagoon&is&negatively&impacted&by&discharges&from&Lake&Okeechobee,&as&is&the&Caloosahatchee&River&and&its&downstream&estuaries&on&the&southwest&coast.&&In&a&February&2016&article,&Gillis&reported&that&"Turbid,&chocolateAcolored&waters&have&plagued&the&Southwest&Florida&coast&over&the&past&month,&when&the&South&Florida&Water&Management&District&and&U.S.&Army&Corps&of&Engineers&maximized&flows&through&the&Caloosahatchee&and&St.&Lucie&Rivers&(Appendix&W)."&&It&was&also&reported&that&"Local&stormwater&runoff&and&Okeechobee&releases&have&forced&freshwater&15&miles&or&more&into&the&Gulf&of&Mexico.&Oyster&and&sea&grass&beds&are&dying,..&NutrientAladen&waters&like&those&flowing&down&the&river&now&can&feed&harmful&algal&blooms&like&red&tide&(Karenia&brevis)&and&blueAgreen&algae,&sometimes&called&cyanobacteria."&&Dewan&(2016)&reported&that&high&water&levels&in&Lake&Okeechobee&should&be&expected&"because&heavy&rainfall&events&are&increasing&as&the&planet&warms."&&The&article&states&that,&"Local&industry&has&long&been&using&Okeechobee's&waters&as&a&dumping&ground&for&an&assortment&of&chemicals,&fertilizers,&and&cattle&manure….&The&water,&which&is&flowing&out&of&the&lake&at&70,000&gallons&per&second,&will&soon&pollute&the&ocean&waters&in&the&Gulf&of&Mexico&and&the&Atlantic&Ocean&(Appendix&X)."&&Flows&to&the&St.&Lucie&River&were&as&high&as&2&billion&gallons&per&day&this&winter&and&72&billion&gallons&had&been&flushed&to&the&east&by&March&4th.&&Legacy&nutrients&from&muck&at&the&bottom&of&the&lagoon&also&feed&algal&blooms&(Treadway&2016,&Appendix&Y).&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Caloosahatchee&carrying&Lake&Okeechobee&discharges&to&Sanibel/Captiva.&&Photo&by&John&Moran,&2016&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&During&Lake&Okeechobee&releases&in&2013,&Microcystis&aeruginosa&Kutzing&blooms&formed&in&the&St.&Lucie&Estuary&(Lapointe&et&al.&2015).&Photo&by&Mark&Gavitt,&Martin&County&&&A&seagrass&die&off&began&in&Florida&Bay&in&summer&2015&and&by&December,&40,000&acres&were&affected&(Wertheimer&2016,&Appendix&Z).&&Drought&and&high&temperatures&caused&changes&in&salinity&(to&twice&that&of&seawater)&that&led&to&the&die&off.&&The&fact&that&the&Bay&does¬&receive&historic/correct&amounts&of&water&from&the&Everglades&at&the&appropriate×&also&worsens&the&health&of&the&Bay&(WLRN&2015,&Appendix&AA).&&An&ecologist&with&the&Everglades&Foundation&worries&the&die&off&could&last&for&years&and&that&the&rotting&seagrass&could&feed&an&algal&bloom&that&in&turn&kills&more&seagrass&(Spear&2016).&&Since&the&Service's&comment&period&on& its&90Aday& finding& in&2014,& red&tide&occurred&offshore&of&Florida& in&September&to&November&2014,&and&from&October&2015AApril&2016.&The&March&25th&update&from&FWC&indicated&that&Karenia&brevis&was&also&detected&in&2&samples&from&the&IRL&in&Brevard&County.&&Manatee&habitat&is&also&threatened&by&climate&change.&&Edwards&(2013)&reported&that&changes&could&include&increases&in&the&frequency,&duration,&and&magnitude&of&harmful&algal&blooms&and&in&the&frequency&and&intensity&of&storms,&and&losses&of&warm&water&refugia.&&They&also&expressed&that&"Increased&intrusion&of&saltwater&from&SLR&or&storm&surge&coupled&with&reduced&spring&flows&could&reduce&or&eliminate&the&viability&of&natural&springs&used&by&wintering&manatees."&&The&authors&additionally&state&that,&"As&the&human&population&continues&to&grow&in&Florida,&it&is&inevitable&that&there&will&be&increased&interactions& between&manatees& and& humans& as& the& increased& human& population& continues& to& encroach& on& or& degrade&manatee& habitat."& & Finally,& they& express& that& "Alterations& to& Florida’s& marine& environment& are& ongoing,& yet& current&manatee&management&plans&do¬&consider&the& impacts&of&climate&change.&The&ability&of&manatees&to&adapt&to&change&will&be&influenced&by&the&speed&of&change&and&the°ree&to&which&human&activity&impedes&or&alters&it&(Appendix&BB)."&%OverQUtilization%of%the%Species%for%Commercial,%Recreational,%Scientific,%or%Educational%Purposes%The&Service&has¬&yet&addressed&ongoing&and&increasing&harassment&issues&in&Citrus&County,&Florida&or&their&expansion&to&other&areas&of&the&state.&&The&Crystal&River&National&Wildlife&Refuge&reported&154,527&visitors&on&Refuge&property&in&2015.&&This& tally&only& includes&visitor& reports& from&Special&Use&Permit&holders&and&does¬& include& individuals&who&visited& the&refuge&from&private&vessels&or&use&in&other&areas&of&Kings&Bay.&&Total&visitation&to&refuge&land&and&waters&is&estimated&by&Refuge&staff&to&exceed&320,000&annually&(Vicente&2016,&Appendix&YYY).&&Michael&Oetker&with&the&Service&acknowledged&at&the&January&7th&press&release&that,&"we&also&recognize&that&there&is&some&areas&that&we&have&to&do&better.&&As&an&example&in& Three& Sisters& Spring& at& our& Crystal& River&National&Wildlife& Refuge"& (NWXAFWS,& 2016,& Appendix& CC).& & The& Service& has&failed&to&establish&an&approach&distance&policy&that&can&be&applied&uniformly&statewide&yet&have&documented&widespread&harassment&&Inadequacy%of%Existing%Regulatory%Mechanisms%This& is& a& critically& important& listing& factor& that& cannot&be&addressed&with&modeling&efforts.& & For& the&Florida&manatee,& so&much&of&the&specie's&success&or&failure&is&contingent&on&the&actions&of&the&state&of&Florida.&&The&Service&has&no&control&over&local& land&use&decisions,& the& issuance&of&consumptive&use&permits& that&drain& the&aquifer,&or&whether& the&state&opens& its&lands&to&fracking&for&natural&gas&extraction,&even&though&all&of&these&practices&impact&manatee&habitat.&&The&state's&ability&to&create&and&hold&on&to&protections&has&been&facilitated&by&a&federal&endangered&listing&status.&&There&are&no&guarantees®arding&what& the& state&will& or&will& not& do& if& the& status& changes.& & The& act& of& downlisting& itself& could&weaken&manatee&protections&in&a&number&of&ways,&even&if&that&is¬&the&Service's&intention.&&The&Manatee&Sanctuary&Act&clearly&states,&and&the&12Amonth&finding&acknowledges,&that&state&law&may&commit&lowered&levels&of&funding&for&manatees&once&reclassified&
to& threatened,& which& influences& protections2& (p.81).& & The& 12Amonth& finding& also& states,& "As& long& as& funding& remains&available,&recovery&actions&would&continue&to&be&implemented,®ulations&enforced,&and&additional&measures&adopted&as&needs&arise."&&The&Service&doesn't&get&to&advocate&for&its&budget,&putting&the&important&matter&of&funding&out&of&its&hands.&&Staffing&within&the&manatee&program&at&the&Service&has&decreased&dramatically&over&the&years,&impeding&progress&on&key&issues.&&&The& 12Amonth& finding& (p.100)& states& that,& "Within& the&United& States,& Federal,& State,& and& Commonwealth& agencies& limit&habitat& losses& and& those& activities& that& block& access& through& regulatory& processes."& & If& this& is& the& case,&why& are& tens& of&thousands&of&acres&of& seagrasses&being& lost&and&why&are&manatees&prevented&access& to&DeLeon&Springs,& the&Ocklawaha&River&Springs,&and&Warm&Mineral&Springs,&among&others?&&Having&laws&in&place&and&actually&enforcing&them&are&two&very&different&things.&Florida's&Department&of&Management&Services&released&a&report&in&February&2016&stating&that&there&were&7,000&fewer&state&employees¤tly&than&when&Governor&Rick&Scott&took&office&in&2010&(FDMS&2016,&Appendix&DD).&&The&Tallahassee&Democrat& reported& that&Florida&consistently& "ranks& last& in& the&nation& in&both& its& ratio&of& state&employees& to&population& and& the& per& capita& cost& of& state& personnel."& & The& same& article& quoted& Representative& Michelle& Rehwinkel&Vasilinda&of&Tallahassee,&who&said&that&Florida&is&bound&to&experience&water&crises&like&Flint,&Michigan&if&state&government&continues&to&be&cut& (Cotterell&2016,&Appendix&EE).& &As&Allen&et&al.&wrote& in&2014,&"this&species&continually& faces&an&everAgrowing& threat& from& human& impacts& within& warm& water& sources."& & The& authors& call& for& "the& increasing& need& for& the&application&of&protection&from&a&management&standpoint."&&And,&"manatees&face&the&same&threats&today&as&they&did&when&initially& placed& on& the& endangered& species& list& (Appendix& FF)."& & Naples& Daily& News& reported& early& in& 2016,& "One& of& our&greatest&concerns&going&into&2015&was&whether&growth,&beginning&to&escalate&a&year&ago,&would&lead&to&a&renewal&of&an&ageAold& clash& between& development& and& environmental& protection.& & The& conflict& arose& throughout& the& year& in& ways&beyond&what&we'd&expected.&&Too&often&in&2015,&the&balance&tipped&against&the&environment&and&its&inhabitants&(Appendix&GG)."&&Within&the&Service,& the&Florida&manatees'& recovery&plan& lacks&"objective,&measurable&criteria",&even&though&such&criteria&are&required&by&the&ESA.&16&U.S.C.&§&1533(f).&&The&Service&has¬&made&it&a&priority&to&update&the&recovery&plan&and&in&the&years&since&disbanding&the&recovery&team&in&2007,&seldom&if&ever&even&refers&to&the&plan.& &The&plan&suffers&from&several&deficiencies,&including&&general,&openAended&goals&that&don't&set&specific&time&frames&stand&in&the&way&of&making&progress&for&the&manatee&and&its&habitat&and&serve&to&keep&the&Service&or&other&agencies&"off&the&hook"&to&accomplish&meaningful&progress& that& would& legitimately& move& manatees& closer& to& recovery.& & A& report& by& Malcom& and& Li& 2015& reviewing& the&Service's& Section& 7& process& stated& that& "Today,& conservationists& argue& that& section& 7& currently& serves& as& a& paper& tiger,&leaving&many&species&vulnerable&to&further&habitat&loss&and&diminished&chances&of&recovery."&&Section&7&consultations&from&2008&through&April&2015&were&evaluated,&during&which&81,461&informal&and&6,829&formal&consultations&occurred.&&Only&two&of& the& formal& consultations& resulted& in& a& jeopardy& finding,& but& in& neither& case& was& the& project& abandoned& or& altered&significantly& (Appendix&HH).& &According& to&a& report&by& the&Center& for&Biological&Diversity,& the¤t&Administration&has&undertaken& 10& rulemakings& to& allow& incidental& take& from& the& very& activities& that& are&most& harmful& to& species’& survival&(Sanerib&et&al.&2016,&Appendix& II).& &We&are&concerned&about&the¤t& trend&of&using&4(d)& rules& to&create&conservation&loopholes.&&According&to&the&report,&"No&single&presidential&administration&has&approved&more&of&these&damaging,&industry&loopholes&than&the&Obama&administration."&&The&report&claims&that&"the&Obama&administration&has&increasingly&been&using&them&to&allow&the&very&activities&that&caused&species&to&be&at&risk&in&the&first&place"&and&"since&the&Act&was&passed,&nearly&every& administration& has& used& 4(d)& rules& in& questionable& ways& to& exempt& practices& harmful& to& species;& however,& the&Obama&administration&has&greatly&accelerated&the&practice."&&With®ard&to&species&in&other&countries,&the&report&found&that&"the&Service&often&uses&4(d)&rules&that&allow&take&and&trade&of&the&species&subject&to&certain&conditions.&&These&rules&raise&serious&questions&given&the&definition&of&conservation&in&the&Act."&&The&Union&of&Concerned&Scientists&interviewed&employees&at&several&federal&agencies&(Union&of&Concerned&Scientists&Center&for&Science&and&Democracy&2015,&Appendix&JJ).&&A&significant&number&of&scientists&(46&to&73&percent&across&agencies)&reported&that&the&level&of&consideration&of&political&interests&at&their&agencies&was&too&high&(see&Figure&4,&p.&8).&The&greatest&proportion&of&respondents&reporting&this&concern&was&at&the&FWS&(73&percent,&601&respondents),&&One&FWS&employee&reflected,&“Because&the&Bush&administration&was&so&intent&about&staffing&the&FWS&with&likeAminded&people&for&eight&years,&and&because&the&Obama&administration&has&done¬hing&to&counter&it,&many&FWS&employees&feel&like&we’re&still&in&the&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&2&“[w]hen&the&federal&and&state&governments&remove&the&manatee&from&status&as&an&endangered&or&threatened&species,&the&annual&allocation&may&be&reduced”&(FMSA&Chap.&379.2431(2)(u)(4)(c))&&
Bush&administration.”&&About&45%&(n=819)&of&respondents&believed&the&level&of&consideration&of&business&interests&at&FWS&
is&too&high.&&Survey&results&also&indicate&that&FWS&effectiveness&and&its&ability&to&make&scienceAinformed&decisions&may&be&
increasingly&inhibited&by&staffing&and&resource&constraints.&ThirtyAtwo&percent&(298)&of&respondents&reported&that&the&
effectiveness&of&their&division&or&office&has&decreased&compared&with&five&years&ago&(Figure&2).&When&asked&about&the&
extent&to&which&the&agency&collects&scientific&monitoring&information&needed&to&meet&its&mission&effectively,&59&percent&
(536)&of&FWS&respondents&chose&“occasionally,”&“seldom,”&or&“never”&(Figure&11,&p.&16).&&Notably,&70&percent&of&FWS&
scientists&(601&respondents)&reported&that&the&level&of&consideration&of&political&interests&at&the&FWS&is&too&high&(Figure&4).&
One&respondent¬ed,&“Ultimately,&the&USFWS&would&be&improved&the&most&if&we&could&make&decisions&based&solely&on&
the&science,&instead&of&having&to&balance&those&decisions&with&politics.”&Another&respondent&inferred&the&motive&
accounting&for&such&political&influence:&“It&is&my&perception&that&upper5level&managers&are&influenced&by&fear&of&Congress&dismantling&the&Endangered&Species&Act&and/or&otherwise&interfering&with&the&mission&of&the&Service.&This&affects&their&ability&to&appropriately&support&the&scientific&integrity&of&the&very&conscientious&scientific&staff&whose&work&is&supposed&to&support&the&managers’&decision&making.”&Other"es&given&by&top&officials&within&the&agency&further&point&to&serious&problems.&&For&example,&"Director&Ashe&told&the&small&group&that&he&sees&a&'giant&clash'&between&those&who&favor&
conservation&and&those&who&favor&economic&development&and&that&he&believes&that&conservationists&'must&accept&a&world&
with&fewer&wolves,&salmon,&and&spotted&owls'&"&(http://www.defendersblog.org/2014/07/mustAaccept/).&
&
The& Service& is& also& deficient& in& following& up& on& recommendations& coming& out& of& the& Warm& Water& Task& Force,& and&
reiterated&in&a&September&2011&letter&from&the&Marine&Mammal&Condition&recommending&that&power&companies&that&are&
permitted&for&warm&water&discharges&used&by&manatees&be&required&to&make&annual&contributions&to&a&fund&devoted&to&
research&and&management&required&to&create&networks&of&warm&water&refuges&(Ragen&2011,&Appendix&KK).& &The&Service&
must& provide& assurances& on& finalizing& a& warm& water& contingency& plan& including& mechanisms& for& funding& the& actions&
identified& in&the&plan.& & &The&Service&should&ask&EPA&to&exert& its& federal&authority&upon&request&of& the&Service,& to&place&a&
condition& on& the& power& plants'& NPDES& permits& issued& through& DEP& to& provide& a& requirement& for& funding& related& to&
transitioning& manatees& away& from& these& artificial& arm& water& sources.& & FWS& has& admitted& that& “Implementation& of&
management& decisions& is& very& much& influenced& by& stakeholder& values& and& public& perception& of& manatee& status& and&
protection& from& threats& (USFWS& 2011b,& Appendix& LL).”& & How& will& FWS& garner& the& public& support& needed& to& recover&
manatees&if&the&public&thinks&the&job&is&already&done?&&
&
Downlisting&would&send&a&message&that&there&is&less&need&for&continued&or&increased&protections&for&manatees.&&This&will&
provide& additional& incentives& to& local& governments& looking& to& remove&MPP& or& speed& zone& protections& and&will&make& it&
more& difficult& to& obtain& funding& and& enforcement& for& warm& water& restoration& and& other& manatee& recovery& projects.&&
Downlisting&will&lead&to&speed&zone&and&MPP&challenges&from&local&governments&that&will&further&restrict&the&Service&in&its&
ability& to& reAimplement& key& components& of& the& Recovery& Team,& including& the& Warm& Water& Task& Force,& update& the&
Recovery&Plan&and&improve&recovery&criteria,&and&finalize&a&comprehensive&contingency&plan&for&artificial&warm&water&loss.&&&
To& preAemptively& counteract& attacks& on& state& speed& zones,& the& Service& should& create& a& federal& overlay& atop& all& existing&
state&zones&so&that&even&if&the&state&changes&or&reduces&protection,&federal&zones&will&remain&in&place&until&a&federal&review&
is&undertaken.&&The&Service&could&undertake&a&single&rulemaking&subject&to¬ice&and&comment,&to&complete&this&action.&&
The& Service& acknowledges& it& doesn't& know& what& will& happen& with& the& state& of& Florida's& laws,& so& to& proceed& with&
downlisting,& this& is&one&example&of& the&types&of& federal&assurances&that&would&be&necessary.& &The&Service&acknowledges&
that&speed&zones&are&only&as&good&as&the&level&of&enforcement,&but&does¬&discuss&how&it&is&addressing&the&adequacy&of&
existing&enforcement&or&any&future&plans&in&this®ard.&&In&fact,&the&12Amonth&finding&states&that&"it&is&difficult&to&ascertain&
the&adequacy&of&enforcement&efforts."&
&
The&Service&has&no&control&over®ulation&of&environmental& laws& in&Florida&and&at& the& local&government& level& in&Florida&
that&affect&manatee&habitat.&&In&Florida,&enforcement&of&environmental®ulations&has&declined&and&development&is&again&
on& the& rise.& & According& to& enforcement& data& obtained& from& DEP& and& analyzed& by& Public& Employees& for& Environmental&
Responsibility& (PEER),& enforcement& of& environmental& regulations& is& at& an& allAtime& low,& and& has& been& on& a& downward&
trajectory&under&the¤t&administration.&&A&July&2015&statement&described&that&during&the¤t&state&administration,&
"antiApollution&enforcement&of&all& types&has&nosedived"&and&"the&overall&numbers& for&cases& filed&and&penalties&assessed&
and& collected& remain& at& historically& allAtime& low& levels,& second& only& to& the& complete& abdication& of& enforcement& in& the&
previous& year."& & The& group& states& that& "DEP& is& not& only& recording& fewer& cases,& but& also& lowering& fines& and& diminishing&
followAthrough&to&ensure&that&violations&remain&abated"&&(PEER&2015,&Appendix&MM).&
&
DEP&is&the&agency&that&ignored&aquifer&pollution&occurring&at&the&hands&of&FPL&in&MiamiADade&County.&&An&article&published&
on&Feb&22,&2016&explained&that&the&state&of&Florida&failed&to&stop&pollution&from&being&released&from&the&FPL&cooling&canals&at&Turkey&Point.&&Up&to&600,000£s&of&salt&entered&the&Biscayne&aquifer&daily.&&&The&article&states&that&the&judge&"found&that& the& canals& had& caused& a& massive& underground& saltwater& plume& to& grow,& threatening& to& contaminate& wellfields&providing&drinking&water&for&the&Florida&Keys&and&parts&of&MiamiADade&County.&&Florida®ulators...&then&let&the&utility&off&the& hook& by& failing& to& stop& the& pollution& when& the& state's& Department& of& Environmental& Protection& approved& a& faulty&management&plan& in& the&midst&of& the&Christmas&holiday&more& than&a&year&ago&over& the&objections&of&nearby& cities,& the&county,&environmentalists&and&rock&miners."&&The&article&went&on&to&state&that&"the&crisis&calls&into&question&the&future&of&the& canals& and&what& to& do&with& the& underground& plume,&which& appears& to& be&moving& into& the& nearby& bay,& a& federally&protected& national& park."& & "When& the& canals& first& began& failing,& FPL…& asked& state& water& managers& for& emergency&permission&to&pump&millions&of&gallons&of&fresh&water& into&the&system,&a&remedy&that&critics&worry&may&solve&FPL's&woes&but&leave&South&Floridians&scrambling&for&fresh&water&(Staletovich&2016a,&Appendix&NN)."&&State&Rep.&Jose&Javier&Rodriguez,&DAMiami…&said&the&state&has&repeatedly&failed&to&address&worsening&conditions&and&has&called&for&the&federal&government's&help.&&He&said,&"we're&still&waiting&for&state®ulators&to&step&up."&&He&expressed&that&state®ulators&hadn't&enforced&the&law& and& ignored& the& problem& (Alvarez& 2016,& Appendix&OO).& & Another& article& reported& that& "The& Florida& Department& of&Environmental&Protection&declined&to&cite&FPL&for&violating&state&water&laws&and&instead&crafted&a&plan&that&critics&said&gave&the& utility& license& to& continue& to& pollute& (Staletovich& 2016b,& Appendix& PP)."& & "Environmentalists& now& suspect& that& new&outbreaks& of& algae& blooms& detected& in& the& bay& over& the& last& decade& may& be& tied& to& canal& water& (Staletovich& 2016c,&Appendix&QQ)".&&&DEP& has& also& failed& to& address& nonpoint& source& pollution& in& various& BMAPs& around& Florida,& such& as& that& for& the& IRL.&&Lapointe&et&al.&(2015)&conclude&that&"greater&emphasis&should&instead&be&placed&on&quantifying&nonApoint&source&nutrient&pollution&from&the&~300,000&OSTDS&in&the&IRL&watershed…&&Currently,&any&gains&from&nutrientAreducing&BMAP&projects&are&likely&offset&by& the& installation&of&additional&OSTDS& in&newly&developed&areas."& & In&a&2016& interview,&Lapointe&stated,&"it&really& comes& back& to& not& using& political& or& expedient& solutions& to& these& problems,& which& can& often& times& make& the&problems&worse.&It&is&really&looking&at&cause&and&effect&and&we&really&need&to&use&the&best&science&available&to&find&out&the&causes&of&these&problems&(Smith&2016,&Appendix&RR)."&&Florida&springs&are&also&affected&by&failing&BMAPs&(Section&403.067,&FS).&&BMAPs&adopted&for&springs&have¬&met&the&criteria&under&Section&403.067(7),&Florida&Statutes&to&plan,&implement,&and&monitor&nonpoint&source&pollution&reduction&programs,&including¬:&& & a.&Establishing&a&schedule&for&implementing&management&strategies&with&identified&&& & feasible&funding&that&will&ensure&the&strategy&is&implemented&on&schedule&(403.067(7)(a)1);&& & b.&Equitably&allocating&pollutant&load&reductions&to&the&identified&categories&of&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & nonpoint&sources&of&pollutant&loading&that&are&causing&or&contributing&to&the&impairment;&& & c.& Ensuring& anticipated& future& sources& will& not& increase& the& loading& or& including& any& accounting&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & of&new&loads&(403.067(7)(a)2);&& & d.&Ensuring&that&the&BMAP&planning&process&has&been&performed&in&a&manner&that&encourages&&& & the&greatest&amount&of&cooperation&and&consensus&possible.(403.067(7)(a)3);&& & e.&Including&firm&milestones&for&implementation&of&management&strategies&and&water&quality&& && & improvement&(403.067.(7)(a)5.).&&&Taylor&wrote&in&2006,&"Much&of&the&damage&done&to&Florida&springs&occurs&remotely,&within&the&springshed,&in&the&form&of&groundwater&withdrawals,&stormwater&runoff,&septic&systems,&and&increased&nitrates.&The&Florida&Wildlife&Legacy&Initiative&rates&the¤t&status&of&springs&and&spring&runs&throughout&Florida&as&poor&and&declining.&Protection&of&springs&habitat&needs& to& encompass& spring& runs,&which& are& often& used&more& frequently& by&manatees& than& spring& boils.& However,& land&acquisition&and&protection&programs&are&often&focused&on&just&the&spring&boil."&&Nine&springs&used&by&manatees&don't&even&yet&have&MFLs.&&For&7&of&these,&the&12Amonth&finding&lists&the&status&as&"unknown."&&Was&a&call&to&DEP&or&the&appropriate&Water& Management& District& placed& to& find& out?& & Dr.& Knight& wrote& about& the& condition& of& Florida's& springs& in& 2016,&explaining:&& & & Over&the&past&50&years,&Florida&policies&have&fueled&private&investments&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & based&on&the&myth&that&cheap,&clean&groundwater&is&infinite.&As&early&as&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & 2000&the&state's&best&scientists&and&engineers,&working&as&the&Florida&Springs&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & Task&Force,&developed&a&viable&plan&to&move&the&state&towards&a&sustainable&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & groundwater&future&by&reversing&the&unmistakable&decline&in&springs'&water&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & quantity&and&quality.&&Their&plan&was&gaining&momentum&in&2007&before&it&& & && & & was&quietly&tossed&into&the&state's&waste&basket.&&While&the&allocation&of&public&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & money&for&springs&conservation&grows&each&year,&the&springs&continue&to&lose&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
& & & flows&and&are&choking&on&more&algae.&&Springs&costAshare&projects&funded&over&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
& & & the&past&three&years&have&had&no&visible,&lasting&successes.&&Either&the&public&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
& & & expenditures&are&being&poorly&spent&and¬&accomplishing&their&stated&goals,&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&or&the&status&quo&of&issuing&new&groundwater&pumping&permits&that&in&turn&&
& & & facilitate&the&use&of&more&nitrogen&fertilizer,&are&increasing&the&springs'&problems&
& & & faster&than&the&public's&money&can&be&spent&(Knight&2016c,&Appendix&SS).&
&
The&inadequacy&of&existing&laws&also&allow&discharges&from&Lake&Okeechobee&into&coastal&estuaries.&&The&Palm&Beach&Post&
reported& in&2016& that& this& is& "the&second& time& in& three&years& that&billions&of&gallons&of& Lake&O's& fresh&water,& laden&with&
pesticides&and&nutrients&from&farm&fields,&have&poured&daily&into&coastal&estuaries&threatening&everything&from&sea&grasses&
to&oyster&beds&to&manatees&(Appendix&TT)."&&This&issue&has&been&"decades&in&the&making"&and&"there&is&no&way&to&stop&it&
from&happening&again.&&In&2007,&the&state&made&a&deal&to&buy&land&from&the&sugar&companies&in&order&for&water&to&travel&
south& into& the& Everglades& instead& of& east& and&west& through& the& estuaries.& & "But& Gov.& Rick& Scott& and& the&water& district&
recently& let& that&buyAout&option& lapse"& (Anton&and&Pittman&2016,&Appendix&UU).& &Former&Lee&County&Commissioner&Ray&
Judah&recently&expressed&in&an&interview&that&the&water&bill&passed&by&the&legislature&in&2016&and&signed&into&law&by&the&
governor&will,& "make& it& impossible& to& clean&up& the&dirty&water&by&giving& the& sugar& industry& safe&harbor& from&being&held&
accountable&in&efforts&to&restore&Lake&Okeechobee,&Caloosahatchee&and&our&coastal&estuaries&(Cellini&2016,&Appendix&VV)."&&
An&editorial&from&Ocala.com&earlier&this&year&wrote&about&the&2016&water&bill&stating,&"like&so&many&water&problems&facing&
Florida,&our& state& leaders&have¬&only& chosen& to& respond&casually,& they&have&exacerbated&an&already&bad& situation&by&
releasing&huge&amounts&of&toxic&water.&&The&state's&new&water&policy,&while&a&small&improvement&over&what&we&had,&does&
not&seriously&address&the&pressures&that&are&ruining&our&waters…&&The&law&allows&decades&to&correct&what&is&wrong&with&our&
springs&and&rivers&and&lakes.&&It&does&woefully&little&to&force&the&reduction&in&nitrate&pollution…&lawmakers&still&coddle&big&
agriculture& and& business& interests…"& (Appendix& WW).& & Dr.& Bob& Knight& also& wrote& about& the& 2016& Florida& Springs& and&
Aquifer&Protection&Act&in&February,&explaining,&"This&new&law&is&intended&by&its&principal&authors&to&preserve&the&status&quo&
in& the& face&of& increasingly& obvious&water& quality& impairments...& this& year's&water& bill& gives& the& appearance&of& increased&
protection& of& water& resources& while& retaining& the& alphabet& soup& of& ineffective& regulations& (TMDLs,& BMAPs,&MFLs,& and&
BMPs)& that& have& allowed& Florida's& water& quality& to& deteriorate& to& today's& low& levels"& (2016c).& & Florida& voters& passed&
Amendment&1&to&purchase&conservation&lands,&but&the&legislature&has&diverted&large&amounts&of&funding&to&other&causes.&&
Cellini&(2016)&reported&that&before&the&recession,&Florida&annually&dedicated&$300&million&to&land&preservation.&&The&2016&
session&proposed&~$80&million.&&Another&author&wrote&about&the&most&recent&Florida&legislative&session&stating,&"the&main&
thing&environmentalists&have&to&celebrate&about&this&year's& legislative&session& in&Tallahassee& is& that& it&wasn't&any&worse"&
and&"it's&unclear&how&much&executive&agencies&A&agencies&directly&under&Gov.&Rick&Scott's&controlA&will&press&for&pollution&
controls&or&limits&on&water&withdrawals&when&it&collides&with&business&interests&(Palmer&2016,&Appendix&XX)".&&The&SWIM&
Act&has&been&in&place&since&1987&and&gave&rise&to&BMAPs,&but&water&quality&and&natural&systems&are&still&impaired&by&failure&
to&sufficiently&enforce¤t&laws.&&&
&
Florida& is& seeing& a& resurgence& of& development& without& the& benefit& of& growth& management,& as& the& Department& of&
Community&Affairs&has&been&disbanded&and&there&are&no&more&Developments&of&Regional&Impact.&&&Multiple&seagrass&die&
offs&are&ongoing&around& the&state.& &Nonpoint& source&pollution&continues& to°rade&water&quality&and&consumptive&use&
permits& continue& to& be& handed& out& for& vast& quantities& of& water& even& though& demand& is& already& projected& to& exceed&
available&supply.& &The&state&FWC&and&Service&are&engaging&only& in&reactive&policies,¬&any&proactive&solutions&to&create&
manatee&sanctuaries&for&feeding,&breeding,&sheltering,&or&migration.&&&
Other%Natural%or%Manmade%Factors%Affecting%Its%Continued%Existence%If& the& Service&moves& forward&with&downlisting&now,& the& agency&will& be&bombarded&with& challenges& looking& to& roll& back&
protections&and&amend&Manatee&Protection&Plans,&and&staff&time&will&be&consumed&by&those&requests,&leaving&these&larger,&
looming& issues&of& longAterm&habitat& security& further&delayed.& & In& fact,& several& such&proposals&have&already& surfaced& just&
since&the&proposed&reclassification&was&announced:&a&resolution&to&review&speed&zones&out&of&Brevard&County&(Appendix&
YY),&proposed&legislation&to&weaken&the&Manatee&Sanctuary&Act&(Webster&2016,&Appendix&ZZ),&and&a&filed&bill&in&the&2016&
legislature&that&called& for&a&"speed&zone&effectiveness&study"&(Brandes,&2016&Appendix&AAA).& &Opponents&of& the&ESA&are&
already& queuing& up& to& weaken& policies& that& have& protected& manatees& but& conflicted& with& their& agendas.& & The& draft&
resolution& presented& to& the& Brevard& County& Commission& for& its& January& 12th,& 2016& meeting& stated& that& the,& "Florida&
Manatee&Sanctuary&Act&appears&to&have&been&saddled&with&an&archaic,&unproven,&and&often&disproven&requirements&that&
focus&too&much&effort&on&speed&zones&and&permitting,&and&too&little&on&population&assessment,&habitat&improvement,&and&
rescue&and&rehabilitation.&&The&existing&law&has&become&a&hindrance&to&effective&manatee&management."&&Nearly&identical&
language&was& spoken& at& the& 2015&meeting& of& the&Marine&Mammal& Commission& by& a& representative& of& the& group&who&
petitioned&the&Service&to&reclassify& the&manatee&(Lamb&2015,&Appendix&BBB).& &Proposed& legislation&surfaced&during&both&
the& 2015& and& 2016& legislative& sessions& that&would& have& turned& the& local& rule& review& committee& from& an& advisory& to& a&
decisionAmaking& body;& removed& the& 50/50& balance& requirement& of& boating& and& manatee& advocates;& only& allow& FWC&
comment& on& permit& applications& if& the& Service& doesn't& comment;& reduce& Brevard& County& speed& zones;& only& allow& new&
rules&in&parts&of&the&state&where&the&manatee&population&is&declining;&eliminate&FWC's&ability&to®ulate&speed&in&marked&
channels&or&designated&watersports&areas;&change&all&channel&zones&to&be&no& less&than&25&mph;&delete&requirements&for&
counties&to&incorporate&boat&facility&siting&into&comprehensive&plans;&Allow&installation&and&repair&of&mooring&pilings&and&
dolphins& associated& with& private& docking& facilities& or& piers& and& the& installation& of& private& docks,& piers& and& recreational&
docking& facilities& or& piers& and& recreational& docking& facilities& of& local& government& entities& in&manatee& habitat& without& a&
permit;&and&Remove&permitting&requirements&for&docks&500&square&feet&or&less&overAwater&in&an&area&designated&an&OFW&
before&1/1/15&or&1,000&feet&or& less& in&an&area&designated&an&OFW&on&or&after&1/1/16.& &The&Tampa&Tribune&reported&the&
beliefs&of&one&manatee&opponent,&who&also&drafted&the&aboveAreferenced&proposed&legislation:&"there&is&no&longer&a&need&
for&widespread&boating&restrictions"&or&"sanctuaries&in&which&vessels&are&prohibited..."&(Morelli&2014,&Appendix&CCC).&&This&
same&individual&was&interviewed&in&2015,&stating,&"The&public&perception&that&boats&are&killing&[manatees]&off,&and&that&if&
not&for&conservation&efforts&they&would&die&off,&just&are¬&true.”&The&article&explained&that&"His&group&is&lobbying&federal&
and& state& agencies& to& relax& rules& designed& to& protect& manatees,& including& the& imposition& of& slowAspeed& zones& in& the&
summer…"&(Morelli&2015,&Appendix&DDD).&Another&group's&website&states&that&downlisting,&"may&also&prevent&additional&
unnecessary& regulations& and& reduce& the&need& for& some&existing& ones...& "(Save&Crystal& River,& Appendix& EEE).& & This& is& the&
same&group&that& recruited&PLF& to&petition&the&Service& to&downlist&manatees,&and&which&petitioned&FWC& in&April&2012&to&
remove&all&speed&zone&protections&from&Kings&Bay&in&Citrus&County&by&striking&from&68CA22.011,&Fla.&Admin.&Code&all&text&
referencing&Kings&Bay.&&FWC's&response&to&the&petition&stated,&"Should&the&state's&Kings&Bay&zones&be&removed&by&virtue&of&
FWC& granting& the& Petitioner's& request,& no& regulations& would& be& in& place& in& Kings& Bay& to& effectuate& the& intent& of&
379.2431(2),&Fla.&Stat.,& to&protect& the&manatee.& &The&Petition&also&attacked&a&cooperative&agreement&between&FWC&and&
FWS.& & FWC's& response&explained,& "Petitioner& requests& that&FWC…&state&an&understanding& that& state& law&enforcement& is&
prohibited&from&enforcing&federal&rules&in&federallyAdesignated&manatee&refuges"&(FWC&2012,&Appendix&FFF).&&A&February&
2nd,& 2016& article& stated,& "While& wildlife& officials& discuss& downgrading& manatees& from& endangered& to& threatened,& one&
lawmaker&says&he'd&like&to&look&into&removing&special&'no&wake'&zones&that&were&put&in&place&to&protect&the&animals."&&The&
article"es&Representative&Larry&Ahern&from&Pinellas&County&and&explains&that&"He's&behind&a&bill&that&would&launch&an&
independent&count&of& the&manatee&and&would&commission&a&study&of& the& impact&of& removing&special&manatee&no&wake&
zones."& & "Ahern& says& if& manatees& are& no& longer& endangered& it& makes& sense& no& wake& zones& should& become& scarce"&
(McCarthy&2016,&GGG).&&%&
Holding& onto& or& creating& new& protections&will& be& extremely& difficult& with& downlisting& and& even&when& speed& zones& are&
created,&this&is&done&via&a&public&policy&process&wherein&the&zones&are&negotiation&based&on&the&will&of&groups&including&the&
Local&Rule&Review&Committee.& &The&Core&Biological&Model& identifies&watercraft&as&a&prime&threat,&and&downlisting&opens&
the& door& to& pressures& that& would& roll& back& existing& protections& and& complicate& attempts& to& implement& additional&
protections,& which& would& exacerbate& that& primary& threat.& & The& Service& itself& contributes& to& the& watercraft& threat& by&
funding&new&facility&development.&&In&March&2016,&the&agency&issued&a&press&release&explaining&the&agency&had&allocated&
$14&million& to& boating& infrastructure& projects& for& the& year,& including& projects& in& Florida& (USFWS& 2016,& Appendix& HHH).&&
Does&the&Service&even&require&extra&safeguards&for&these&facilities&it&funds&that&further&contribute&to&cumulative&impacts&to&
manatees&and&their&habitat?&&Meanwhile,&the&recovering&economy&has&boat&sales&up.&&The&National&Marine&Manufacturers&
Association& reported& that& boat& sales& could& increase& 5A8%& in& 2016,& reaching& preArecession& levels& (Trade& Only& 2015,&
Appendix& III;&Atzinger&2016a,&Appendix& JJJ).& &Trade&Only&published&an&article& in&which& it&was&explained&"New&powerboat&
sales&are&approaching&preArecession&levels&after&several&years&of&gains&in&a&number&of&segments"&and&"The&National&Marine&
Manufacturers&Association…&anticipates&that&the&industry&will&continue&on&that&trajectory,&bringing&sales&to&preArecession&
levels&as&early&as&next&year&[2016]"&(Trade&Only&2015).& &"Florida,&which&leads&the&nation&nearly&every&month,&finished&the&
year& atop& the& states&with& 29,252& sales".& & Florida& has& also& led& the& nation& in& 2016& sales& (Atzinger& 2016b,& Appendix& KKK).&&
Boating&hours&are&also&on&the&rise&with&lower&gas&prices&and&an&improved&economy.&&WatercraftArelated&manatee&injury&and&
mortality&are&likely&to&increase&as&a&result&of&an&improving&economy&and&lower&gas&prices.&&Through&March&25,&2016,&there&
were&28&manatee&watercraftArelated&deaths,&while&the&5Ayear&average&for&this&category&during&the&same&time&frame&is&17&
(FWC&2016,&Appendix&LLL).&There&have&been&10&watercraftArelated&manatee&rescues&so&far&in&2016.&&If&the&remainder&of&the&
year&keeps&pace&with&the&trend&observed&so&far,&a&new&watercraft&mortality&record&will&be&set&this&year.&&&&&&
&
The&way&vessels&are&being&used&on&the&water&is&also&changing.&&Some&MiamiADade&County&officials&are&advocating&for&water&
taxi&service&to&relieve&roadway&congestion.&&Following&the&2016&Miami&International&Boat&Show,&which&received&permits&for&water& taxi& use,& it& was& written& that& "water& taxi& service& to& and& from& the& show&was& so& successful& that& local& officials& are&discussing&exploration&of&a&public&water&transit&system"&and&Miami's&mayor&is"ed&as&referring&to&a&public&water&transit&system& as& a& "no& brainer"& to& relieve&Miami& traffic.& & It&was& expected& that& 25,000& people&would& be& transported& by&water&during& the& show& but& the& reports& are& for& 53,000& individuals& moved& via& water& taxi& (Haynes& 2016,& Appendix& MMM).& A&resolution&drafted&for&the&County's&consideration&proposes&13&water&taxi&stops& in&Biscayne&Bay&and&the&Miami&River&and&the&City&has&already&passed&a&resolution&(MiamiADade&County&2015,&Appendix&NNN).&&Services&like&Uber&are&also&taking&to&the& water& (Saunders& 2015,& Appendix& OOO),& increasing& boating& hours,& as& are& businesses& like& Boatsetter&(www.boatsetter.com),&which& allow&people& to& rent& a& boat& and& captain.& &Manatee&Protection&Plans& are¬& equipped& to&mitigate&for&these&increased&levels&of&traffic.&&The&state&of&Florida's&education&requirements&only&require&mandatory&boater&education&for&those&individuals&born&after&January&1st,&1988,&which&misses&a&large&segment&of&the&boating&population&that&are&also&the&most&common&violators.& &This&may&also&contribute&to&the&fact&that&average&compliance&with&manatee&speed&zones&is&only&54%,&as&reported&in&the&12Amonth&finding.&&&Florida's& human& population& continues& to& grow,& with& 70%& of& the& state's& 20& million& people& living& along& the& coast.&&Development& permits& are& increasing& in& number& with& the& recovering& economy& and& the& state& lacks& enforcement& of&environmental®ulations,&as&discussed&previously.&&We&remain&concerned&that&the&Service&and&FWC&are&unable&to&address&adverse& cumulative& impacts& from& development& projects.& & Continued& and& escalating& damage& to& manatee& habitat& from&nonpoint&source&pollution&and&water&consumption&are&of&grave&concern,&but&the¤t®ulatory&framework&does¬&adequately&address& the&cumulative&effects&of& incremental&harm&to& the&environment.& &The&Manatee&Key& is&heavily& relied&upon&by& the&Service& in& its& claims& to&be&addressing&cumulative&effects/impacts.& &However& it&does¬&address& the&overall&impact& of& boating& hours,& new& facilities,& and& changing& traffic& patterns& in& response& to& new& construction&within&manatee&habitat.& & It& also&does¬& account& for& the& fact& that&MPPs& vary& in& their& effectiveness& and&approach& in&different& counties.&&Cumulative& effects& are& not& at& all& addressed&within& the& 12Amonth& finding.& &Malcom& and& Li& (2015),& in& an& analysis& of& the&Service's&Section&7&consultation&history,&discussed&that&"RPMs&[reasonable&and&prudent&measures]&and&other&conservation&measures&are&generally¬&designed&to&fully&offset&the&harmful&effects&of&projects&and&implementation&of&RPMs&is&rarely&monitored.&&The&cumulative&effect&of&hundreds&of&these&small&projects&is&reduced&populations&or&habitat,&an&outcome&that&some&people&refer&to&as&'death&by&a&thousand&cuts'."&&The&12Amonth&finding&did¬&adequately&discuss&the&health&of&the&manatee&population.&&Manatees&in&Florida&have&become&subject&to&severe&cold&weather&events,&prolonged&red&tide&events,&and&other&UMEs&that&result&in&immune&compromise&and&other&possible& longer&term&effects.& &Walsh&et&al.&reported&on&sublethal&red&tide&toxin&exposure&in&manatees&that&reduces&immune&function&via&reduced& lymphocyte&proliferation,& inflammation,&and&oxidative&stress& (2015,&Appendix&PPP).& &While&brevetoxin&most&often&occurs&along&the&Gulf&Coast,&it&can&and&does&occur&along&the&east&coast,&as&reported&by&Fire&et&al.&in&2015&who&reported&finding&brevetoxin&in&69%&of&manatee&carcasses&recovered&in&the®ion&during&the&2007A2008&event.&&The& authors& concluded& that& "even& rare& K.& brevis& blooms& in& this& region& can& have& significant& negative& impacts& to&marine&mammals"& (Appendix&QQQ).& & A& domoic& acid& event&was& documented& in& Florida& during& 2015,& affecting& green& sea& turtles&along& the& southeast& coast& (Flewelling& et& al.& 2015,& Appendix& RRR).& & A& manatee& was& rescued& in&March& 2016& in& Brevard&County&exhibiting&symptoms&(chewing&behavior)&similar&to&what&was&observed&in&sea&turtles&affected&by&domoic&acid.&&This&case&has¬&yet&been&confirmed&but&is&a&prime&example&of&emerging&threats.&&The&confirmed&presence&of&domoic&acid&in&Florida& is&very&concerning&given&what& is&known&about& its& impact&on&marine&mammals& in&other& regions.& &We&also& remain&concerned& about& the& low& genetic& diversity& of& the& Florida&manatee& population& and& the& impact& of& the& future& population&decline& expected& in& the& Core& Biological&Model& and& discussed& by& Tucker& et& al.& in& 2012& (Appendix& SSS),&who& stated& that,&"reduction& in& the& number& of& available&warmAwater& sites,& coupled&with& the& colderAthanAaverage&winters& as& predicted& by&some& climate& change& models,& could& result& in& a& significant& reduction& in& the& Florida& manatee& population& size,& and& can&potentially&intensify&genetic&drift&and&inbreeding&on&the&population."&&Also&with®ard&to&climate&change,&Edwards&(2013)&stated,&"Alterations&to&Florida’s&marine&environment&are&ongoing,&yet¤t&manatee&management&plans&do¬&consider&the&impacts&of&climate&change.&The&ability&of&manatees&to&adapt&to&change&will&be&influenced&by&the&speed&of&change&and&the°ree&to&which&human&activity& impedes&or&alters& it."& & It& is&also&possible&that&the&frequency&and&severity&of&cold,&red&tide,&and&other&UMEs&could&be&worsened&by&climate&change.&&Other&recent&health&findings®arding&the&Florida&manatee&were&shared&with&the&Service&in&a&September&2015&letter&from&our&organization&(Appendix&TTT).&&Antillean%Manatee%The& Antillean&manatee& is& also& affected& by& development& pressures,& vessel& traffic,& and& pollution& of& its& habitat.& & A& recent&publication&documented&metal&accumulation&in&the&bones&of&manatees&in&Mexico&(RomeroACalderón&et&al.&2016;&Appendix&
UUU).& & The& authors& found& that& "Metal& concentrations& detected& in& the&manatee& bones&were& higher& than&most& of& those&reported&for&bones&in&other&marine&mammals&around&the&world."&&The&authors&state&that&oil&and&gas&industries&in&Mexico&are&expected& to& increase& in& the&near& future&and&explain& that&"prevention&activities&must&be&undertaken& to&avoid& further&exposure&to&potential&damage&in&the&manatee&population&of&the&Gulf&of&Mexico.& & &A&Scientific&American&article&published&earlier& this& year& explained,& "some& conservationists& fear& that& this& [downlisting]& announcement& could& be& the& thing& that&pushes&some&populations&of&Antillean&manatee…&into&extinction."& &The&article's&author&spoke&to&Jamal&Galvez,&a&research&biologist&with&Sea&to&Shore&Alliance,&who&stated,&"Just&like&in&Florida,&the&manatees&in&Belize&find&their&habitat&shrinking&due&to&coastal&development,&much&of&which&supports&the&country's&vital&tourism&industry."&&Mr.&Galvez&also&told&the&author&that&developers&have&dredged&seagrass&beds,&torn&out&mangrove&forests&and&built&cruise&ship&ports&in&the&critical&habitats&where&manatees&live.&&The&author&went&on&to&say&that&"More&tourism&also&means&more&highAspeed&boats,&and&that&means&more&injured&and& killed&manatees.& &At& least& 40&manatees,& the&highest&number& to&date,&were& killed& in&2015&by&boats&or&other&human& factors& such& as& fishing& nets."& & Galvez& is& quoted& in& the& article:& "The& pressures& that& have& been& brought& on& this&population&have&only&been&increasing&through&the&years.&&I&can't&say&that&we&have&been&able&to&stop&anything&that&is&having&an& impact& on& them."& & Meanwhile,& the& FWS& announcement& "has& caused& many& people& to& believe& that& all& manatee&conservation&is&now&a&job&well&done&and&that&the&animals&are&no&longer&at&risk."&&The&author&reports&that&"Galvez&worries&that&the&announcement&will&slowA&or&even&reverseA&the&progress&that&he&and&other&conservationists&have&had&over&the&past&decade,"ing&him&as&saying,&"That&perception&that&they&are¬&endangered&could&very&well&cause&them&to&go&extinct."&&It& is& explained& that& Belize's&Wildlife& Protection& Act& has& not& been& updated& since& 1981& and& "doesn't& do&much& to& protect&manatees& by& itself."& & Galvez& shared& that,& "Being& on& the& Endangered& Species& Act&was&what& really& got& people& concerned&about&the&manatee&in&Belize….&We're¬&even&close&to&seeing&this&population&as&biologically&stable"&(Platt&2016,&Appendix&VVV).&&&The&data&and&analysis& for& the&Antillean&manatee&provided&by&the&Service& in& its&12Amonth& finding&were&spotty&at&best.& & It&does¬&appear,&from&what&was&presented,&that&the&agency&undertook&a&comprehensive&review&of&data&and&made&contact&with&conservationists&and&governments& in&all&of&the&range&states&were&Antillean&manatees&are&found,&even&though&these&steps&are&essential.&&It&is&also¬&clear&whether&the&Service&conducted&a&literature&search&for&nonAEnglish&documents&and&conservation&plans&and&reviewed&such&documents.&& If&the&Service&failed&to&undertake&one&or&both&of&these&tasks,&it& is¬&clear&how&the&Service&can&claim&that&its&proposal&is&based&on&the&best&available&scientific&information.&&As&with&the&Florida&manatee,&the&Service&appears&to&have&relied&heavily&on&population&counts&to&justify&its&decision.&&However,&given&that&many&of& the&"available&population&estimates"& for& the&Antillean&are&based&on&"personal&opinions&of& local&experts"&and&are& thus&"conjectural"&as&explained&in&the&2010&UNEP&report&cited&by&the&Service,&this&information&is¬&adequate&for&proposing&a&status&change.&&Furthermore,&the&Service&states&that&"fewer&than&2,600&are&estimate&to&be&reproductively&mature&animals,"&which&is&a&small&number&of&reproducing&individuals&across&a&vast&range.&Manatees&in&many&areas&are&isolated&from&those&in&other& locations,& meaning& Antillean& manatees& are& not& one& large,& interbreeding& subAspecies,& but& that& there& are& smaller&population& segments.& & This& can&be& true& even&within& single& countries,& including&Mexico,&where& research&has& shown& that&there& are& two& genetically& distinct& populations& in& that& country.& & To& maintain& this& separation,& the& authors& recommend&"conserving& suitable& manatee& habitat& along& the& north& and& east& coasts& of& the& Yucatan& Peninsula,& enforcing& protection,&reducing&poaching&and&helping& local& initiatives& that& increase&public&education& (Nourisson&et&al.&2011,&Appendix&WWW)."&&The&12Amonth&finding&acknowledges&isolation&and&low&gene&flow&among®ions&of&the&Antillean&manatees'&range&and&even&recognizes&that&this&can&lead&to&"rapid&decline&and&local&extinction"&citing&Hunter&et&al.&2012.&&While&research&on&genetics&is¬&widespread,&that&which&has&been&done&shows&that&low&genetic&diversity&is&a&threat&to&manatees&in&Puerto&Rico,&Belize,&and&the&Dominican&Republic.& &Based&on&the& information& it&reviewed,&the&Service&reported&that&the&West& Indian&manatee&has& a& declining& or& unknown& population& status& trend& in& 84%& of& the& countries& where& found.& & Nations& like& Trinidad& are&believed& to& have& populations& of& only& 20A30& manatees& (https://youtu.be/ZwQ7o9zVsq0;&https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUqNV32pe9o).& & The& Service& also& relied& on& a& PVA& model& (CastelblancoAMartinez& et& al.&2012)&but&overlooked&the&caveats&to&that&model&that&were&expressed&plainly&by&the&authors:&&&&& & & There&are&also&some&caveats&for&the&use&of&this&model.&&Its&main&weakness&&&&& & & is&the&lack&of&certainty&about&the&demographic&characteristics,&primarily&&& & & regarding&the&estimated&size&of&the&population.&&The&most&robust&data&have&&& & & been&obtained&in&the&Caribbean®ion,&where&habitat&characteristics&make&&& & & it&possible&to&detect&and&count&manatees&using&aerial&surveys….&&Also,&almost&&& & & one&half&of&the&Trichechus&manatus&manatus&population&inhabits&lagoons,&&& & & streams,&and&floodplains.&&In&this&type&of&habitat,&it&is&very&difficult&to&detect&&& & & manatees…&&Our&model&did¬&take&into&account&the&trends&of&local&&
& & & populations...&because&no&quantitative&data&are&available…&However,&it&is&&& & & important&to&emphasize&that&experts&and&local&people&throughout&the®ion&&& & & agree&that&the&number&of&manatees&sighted&per&year&has&decreased&over&time….&&& & & The&present&model&also&assumes&that&all&threats&that&affect&Antillean&manatees&&& & & are&equal&between&subpopulations.&&The&Service&also&appears& to&have& ignored&or& failed&to&properly&consider&assessments&made&by&the& IUCN&Sirenian&Species&Specialist&Group&in&2008&(Deutsch&et&al.&2008)&and&by&the&Caribbean&Environment&Program&of&United&Nations&Environment&Program&in&2010&(UNEP&2010).&&Both&of&these&reviews&found&that&the&Antillean&manatee&population&was&declining&and&the&IUCN& report& predicted& a& further& 20%& decline& over& the& next& two& generations& due& to& threats.& & The& few& range& states& like&Puerto&Rico&where&the&population&may&be&stable&account&for&only&10%&of&the&Antillean&manatee&population.& & In&fact,&the&subspecies&is&listed&as&endangered&or&critically&endangered&in&most&of&its&range.&Protected&areas&are&mentioned&for&some&countries,&but&there&is&no&discussion&of&their&effectiveness.&&A&2015&thesis&from&a&student&at&Ursinus&College&explored&why&conservation&efforts&in&Mexico&are&failing&to&promote&the&protection&and&growth&of&the&Antillean&manatee&population.&&She&stated,& "Some& of& the& threats& that& had& affected& the&manatee& historically& still& persist& today,& and& others& have&worsened,&which&is&what&is&thought&to&have&contributed&to&the&considerable&decline&of&their&populations."&&She&also&states&that,&"until&policies&begin&to&address&the&more&holistic&problem&of&manatee&conservation&in&Mexico&the&populations&will&never&flourish&enough&to&have&their&endangered&status&revoked”&(Serafy&2015,&Appendix&XXX).&&&Conclusion%While&Save&the&Manatee&Club&has&worked&for&35&years&for&the&opportunity&to&celebrate&a&deserved&reclassification&of&the&manatee&from&endangered&to&threatened,&the¤t&proposal&by&the&FWS&to&move&forward&with&reclassification&at&this&time&is&decidedly&premature.&&Unfortunately,&in&recent&years,&the&Service&pulled&away&from&completing&the&tasks&that&could&have&placed&manatees&in&a&position&to&be&downlisted&in&the&near&future.&&Instead&of&acknowledging&such,&the&agency&plans&to&push&ahead&with&a&downlisting&even&though&that&will&further&impede&the&progress&needed&for&the&species&and&its&habitat.&&The&12Amonth& finding& is& superficial& and& simplistic,& and& fails& to& address&how& threats&operate& synergistically& to&negatively&impact&the&species,&and&fails& further&by¬&demonstrating&how&to&counteract&such&threats.& If& the&Service&continues&with&the&downlisting,&a&move&we&vehemently&oppose,&the&agency&must&include&important&commitments&in&its&final&rule&that&will&allow& it& to&stand&behind& its&claim&that&protections&will¬&change&with&downlisting.& &The&Service&should&also&outline&the&criteria&under&which& the&manatees&would&once&again&qualify& as& endangered&and&be&moved&back& to& that& status,& such&as&failure&to&develop&a&comprehensive&artificial&warm&water&transition&plan&or&adequately&address&watercraft&mortality&and&speed&zone&enforcement&concerns.&&The&Service&needs&to&immediately&start&work&updating&the&Florida&manatee's&recovery&plan& with& the& help& of& a& reinstated& recovery& team,& and& set& improved& recovery& criteria.& & Among& the& key& recovery& team&subcommittees& to& reinstate& is& the& Warm& Water& Task& Force,& to& develop& a& contingency& plan& and& corresponding& fund.&&Additionally,& the& Service&must& remain& committed& to& not& entering& into& any& ESA& Section& 6(c)& cooperative& agreements& or&similar&agreements&under&the&MMPA&(16&U.S.C.&§1379)&with&the&state&of&Florida,& for&the&manatee.& &The&agency&needs&to&commit&to&what&it&is&willing&to&do&to&safeguard&natural&habitats&and&avoid&catastrophic&losses,&and&develop&a&vision&for&the&future&of&the&species&within&that&context.&&We&fear&that&this&downlisting&proposal&is&part&of&a&troubling&trend&within&the&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service,&which&has&delisted&more&species&under&the¤t&Administration&than&during&any&previous&period.&&&&It& has& taken& a& great& deal& of& effort& to& increase& the& Florida& manatee& population& over& many& decades,& yet& as& we& have&witnessed& from&recent& record&setting&mortality&and&habitat& losses,& it's&what& the&agency&does&next& that&decides&whether&manatees&can&ever&be&recovered.&The&Service&should&suspend&all&reclassification&rulemaking&activities&until&it&has&developed&a&vision&for&the&future&of&this&species&that&ensures&manatees&will&be&protected&today&and&into&the&foreseeable&future.&&&Finally,& we& request& that& the& four& peer& reviews& obtained& by& USFWS& for& the& reclassification& proposal& be&made& publically&available& on& regulations.gov& as& we& understand& they& are& also& due& by& April& 7th.& & We& also& request& all& the& names& of& all&individuals&who&were&asked&to&complete&a&peer&review&whether&or¬&they&actually&completed&a&review.&&&Sincerely,&
&Katie&Tripp,&Ph.D.&Director&of&Science&and&Conservation&
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Naples&Daily&News&Editorial.&&2016.&2015:&How&did&we&do?&&Accessed&from&http://www.naplesnews.com/opinion/&
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Ocala.com.&&2016.&Editorial:&A&reality&check&from&Lake&O.&&27&Mar.&&Accessed&from&&
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Staletovich,&J.&&2016b.&&FPL&nuclear&plant&canals&leaking&into&Biscayne&Bay,&study&confirms.&&7&Mar&&
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Taylor,&C.R.&2006.&&A&Survey&of&Florida&Springs&to&Determine&Accessibility&to&Florida&Manatees&(Trichechus&manatus&&& latirostris):&Developing&a&Sustainable&Thermal&Network.&&Final&Report,&Grant&No.&EE0010030&Submitted&to&the&U.S.&& Marine&Mammal&Commission&23&October.&&Treadway,&T.&2016.&Lake&Okeechobee&discharges&could&last&months.&&TC&Palm.&&30&Jan.&&Accessed&from&&& http://www.tcpalm.com/news/indianAriverAlagoon/health/lakeAokeechobeeAdischargesAtoAstAlucieAriverAbeginA& 2a945729A88d4A59b9Ae053A0100007fc4ebA367103911.html&&Tripp,&K.&2015.&&Save&the&Manatee&Club&additional&info&to&USFWS&re&downlisting.&&Tripp,&K.&2014.&&Save&the&Manatee&Club&comment&letter&to&the&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service&on&a&petition&to&reclassify&the&&& West&Indian&Manatee&from&endangered&to&threatened.&1&Sept.&&Tucker,&K.,&M.&Hunter,&R.&Bonde,&J.&Ausstin,&AM&Clark,&C.&Beck,&P.&McGuire&and&M.&Oli.&2012.&Low&genetic&diversity&and&&& minimal&population&substructure&in&the&endangered&Florida&manatee:&implications&for&conservation.&Journal&of&& Mammalogy,&93(6):1504–1511.&Available&at:&http://www.wec.ufl.edu/faculty/olim/&& Tucker%20et%20al%202012%20Florida%20manatee%20genetics%202.pdf&&Trade&Only.&&2015.&&NMMA:&Boat&sales&could&rise&8&percent&this&year.&&11&Dec.&&Accessed&from&&&& http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2015/12/nmmaAboatAsalesAcouldAriseA8ApercentAthisAyear/&&Union&of&Concerned&Scientists&Center&for&Science&and&Democracy.&&&2015.&&Progress&and&ProblemsA&Government&Scientists&&& Report&on&Scientific&Integrity&at&Four&Agencies.&&Available&online&at&www.ucsusa.org/scientistsurvey&&United&Nations&Environmental&Programme&(UNEP).&&2010.&&Regional&management&plan&for&the&West&Indian&manatee&&& (Trichechus&manatus)&compiled&by&E.&QuintanaaARizzo&and&J.E.&Reynolds&III.&&CEP&Technical&Report&No.&48.&&UNEP&& Caribbean&Environment&Programme,&Kingston,&Jamaica.&&170&pp.&&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service.&2016.&&Recreational&Boating&Communities&in&32&States&Receive&$14&Million&Boost&for&&& Infrastructure&Projects.&&Press&Release.&&March&17.&&&&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service.&2016.&12AMonth&Finding&on&a&Petition&to&Downlist&the&West&Indian&Manatee,&and&Proposed&&& Rule&to&Reclassify&the&West&Indian&Manatee&as&Threatened.&&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service.&2011a.&&Draft&Recommendations&for&Future&Manatee&WarmAWater&Habitat.&&Warm&Water&& Task&Force.&&USFWS.&&2011b.&“Securing&WarmAwater&Habitat&for&the&Florida&ManateeA&A&Case&Study&form&the&Structured&Decision&&& Making&Workshop”&13A17&Sept&2010.&National&Conservation&Training&Center.&&US&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service,&Guidance&Interpretation&of&'in&danger&of&extinction'&under&the&ESA:&"Supplemental&Legal&Basis&&& of&the&Department's&May&15,&2008&Determination&of&Threatened&Status&for&Polar&Bears,"&(Dec.&22,&2010)&at&http://& www.fws.gov/endangered/esaAlibrary/pdf/20101222_Polar%20bear%20listing%20clarification%20memo.pdf.&&USFWS&2007.&West&Indian&Manatee&(Trichechus&manatus&)&5&year&review:&Summary&and&Evaluation.&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&&& Service,&Southeast&Region.&Jacksonville,&FL.&&U.S.&Fish&and&Wildlife&Service,&2001.&&Florida&Manatee&Recovery&Plan,&(Trichechus&manatus&latirostris),&Third&Revision.&&Fish&&& and&Wildlife&Service.&&Atlanta,&Georgia.&&144&pp.&+&appendices.&&Available&at:&http://www.fws.gov/&& northflorida/Manatee/Recovery%20Plan/2001_FWS_Florida_Manatee_Recovery_Plan.pdf.&&Vicente,&I.&&2016.&&Email&communication&to&stakeholders.&Feb.&
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