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Manatee protection more than just writing tickets
By CARRIE JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer CRYSTAL RIVER -- It's 10:30 a.m. on the chilliest day in December, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers Steve Rees and Matt Byrer stand on the bow of their 18-foot Century river boat, watching the entrance to Three Sisters Springs through polarized sunglasses. The sudden cold snap drew manatees by the dozens to the 72-degree warmth of the springs, and, along with them, a torrent of divers eager for an encounter with the friendly mammals. As they do every day during the four-month manatee season, Rees and Byrer are patrolling Kings Bay to ensure the animals aren't harmed by overzealous divers or speeding boaters. This group of divers, while large and enthusiastic, is well behaved. There are squeals of delight as one of the blubbery animals rolls over on its back to have its belly scratched, but the swimmers wait for the manatees to approach them and only touch them with one hand. In his six years with Fish and Wildlife, Rees has seen it all: Swimmers harnessing and riding manatees, boaters hitting the slow-moving creatures with paddles and even hurling anchors at them. But those are the extreme cases. In most instances, people aren't aware they are harassing the animals. "Nobody wants to come out here and intentionally get a violation," Rees said. "But if it's their first manatee experience, they just get caught up in it and start actively pursuing one." So in addition to enforcing the law, it's up to Rees and Byrer to educate the public, teaching boaters and divers the proper way to interact with manatees. "We're not just out here to hand out tickets," Rees said, as he started up the Century's motor. "We want to show the intent of the law." As they patrol the open waters of the bay, the officers watch other boats to look for speed violations. Signs posted throughout Kings Bay inform boaters of the two acceptable speeds: slow and idle. This is to protect both manatees and divers from renegade boats and dangerously sharp propellers. Unlike highway patrol officers, Rees and Byrer don't use a radar gun to determine a motorist's velocity. It's more of a visual thing: "Idle" means the minimum speed needed to maintain steering ability and "slow" means no wake. If the officers spy a boat with its bow lifted from the water, chances are it's going too fast. The officers must also protect the specially designated manatee sanctuaries. All swimmers and watercraft are prohibited from entering these areas, which are marked by buoys with an orange diamond and a cross inside. While generally a friendly, curious mammal that enjoys interacting with humans, Rees said the manatees benefit from having a safe haven where they can't be bothered. "If a manatee wants to be left alone, it will leave for those sanctuaries," he said. "A lot of times you'll see a manatee leave the sanctuary, spot a person, then turn around and head back to the sanctuary." When manatees do venture into the open waters, Rees and Byrer will be there to ensure swimmers don't harass the manatees in any way. "Harassment" basically means altering the animal's natural behavioral characteristics. The term includes the more heinous offenses, such as poking or stabbing a manatee or attempting to ride it. Other violations may not be as obvious, but are just as serious and carry the same $100 fine for the misdemeanor. These include separating a mother from its calf, pursuing a manatee, disturbing one while it is sleeping, or feeding the animals. A violation is considered a federal offense as the manatees are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. To educate the public on proper behavior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife works closely with the many diving operations in Crystal River. Most of these establishments show instructional videos to divers before they go out on the water, and will supervise carefully to prevent violations. "People in this county tend to be very good to the manatees," Rees said. "The economy is driven by visitors, people who come here to be with the manatees. There's a lot of respect."
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