As Manatee Population Declines, Rep. Buchanan Pushes For ‘Endangered’ Status, Protections

SARASOTA, FL — Additional protections for West Indian manatees are being sought by a Florida Congressman via an upgrade in their status from “threatened” to “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan joined with Rep. Darren Soto, also of Florida, and introduced the Manatee Protection Act, H.R. 4946 to update the species’ designation in August.

On Tuesday, Buchanan visited the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium to learn more about manatee research and rehabilitation programs at the facility and to discuss the Manatee Protection Act with Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote Marine president and CEO, the representative said in a news release.

Upgrading their designation under the ESA will not only require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to refocus their attention on manatee population rehabilitation, but also allow for increased federal resources including more funding and personnel, Buchanan said.

“I am extremely impressed by the work Mote Marine is doing to conserve manatee populations right here in our own backyard,” he said. “In addition to this vital research, upgrading their status under the Endangered Species Act is absolutely critical to protecting these beloved mammals from further decimation. I look forward to working with Dr. Crosby and his incredible team at Mote Marine to do everything possible to protect these gentle giants in Florida.”

Mote Marine’s Manatee Research Program (MRP) conducts year-round studies of manatee ecology, distribution, habitat use, genetics, and population status in Florida. The program also provides advice on manatee conservation and research actions throughout Florida and the wider Caribbean. The Mote MRP is one of three organizations, along with FWS and the U.S. Geological Survey Sirenian Project, that organizes and maintains a statewide Manatee Photo Identification System catalog.

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Since the start of the year, 957 manatees have died, according to data from FWS. That number has already shattered the previous record of 830 deaths in all of 2013.

FWS estimates that there are only around 6,500 West Indian manatees in the southeastern United States, meaning that nearly 15 percent of this population has been lost in 2021 alone.

Most experts attribute the soaring manatee death count to a significant loss of seagrass along the Atlantic coast, which is causing many manatees to starve to death, as well as a worsening bout of red tide in the Gulf. They also face continued threats from habitat loss and watercraft collisions.

In 2016, Buchanan formally objected to the FWS downgrading the manatee’s ESA designation from “endangered” to “threatened,” noting that the agency may have been using outdated data to support the reduction in protection. The U.S. representative was concerned the manatee’s population would decline if their status was downgraded to “threatened.” The manatee was previously listed as an endangered species dating back to 1966.

In a June letter to FWS, Buchanan called on the agency to upgrade the manatee from “threatened” to “endangered,” citing the degradation of the water quality in manatee habitats, growing levels of water pollution and an increase in harmful algal blooms that kill off seagrass.

The U.S. House recently passed a Buchanan measure to transfer $2 million to FWS to examine the record number of manatee deaths in Florida this year and report to Congress on ways to protect the species.