News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—May 13, 2025
Contact: media@savethemanatee.org, 407-539-0990

LONGWOOD, FL—As National Safe Boating Week approaches, Save the Manatee Club wants to remind boaters and anyone looking to spend some time on the water this summer to be extra mindful of manatees. From May 17 to 23, leading up to Memorial Day weekend, the campaign aims to raise awareness about recreational boating safety and the importance of safeguarding imperiled manatees at the same time. This week also encourages boaters to enroll in a boating safety course.

Manatees are semi-migratory aquatic mammals that are commonly found in shallow estuaries, bays, rivers, canals, and coastal areas throughout Florida and neighboring states. With some manatees venturing as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, collisions between these gentle giants and watercraft have become distressingly frequent. Boat propellers and high-speed collisions pose significant threats to manatees that can result in injuries or even death—over 90% of living Florida manatees bear scars from collisions.

“National Safe Boating Week provides the opportunity to educate boaters on how to responsibly share our waterways with manatees,” says Patrick Rose, Aquatic Biologist and Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club. “It is also a good opportunity to recognize the many responsible boaters who vigilantly keep an eye out for manatees and are oftentimes the eyes and ears out on the water for manatees who are sick and injured and require help.”

Save the Manatee Club is calling on all water enthusiasts to follow essential manatee safety tips to ensure the well-being of the imperiled manatee:

• Obey Speed Zone Signs: Familiarize yourself with and adhere to posted speed limits to prevent collisions with manatees.
• Wear Polarized Sunglasses: Polarized sunglasses enhance visibility, reduce glare, and help spot manatees below the water’s surface.
• Recognize Manatee Signs: Learn to identify signs of manatees in the area, such as swirls or flat spots on the water caused by their movements.
• Respect Manatee Habitat: Keep a safe distance from posted manatee sanctuaries and avoid pursuing, touching, or luring a manatee to your vessel. It can disrupt their natural behaviors and is therefore illegal.
• Report Distressed Manatees: In Florida, promptly report distressed, injured, tagged, or orphaned manatees to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Outside of Florida, report sightings to the appropriate local stranding networks. A list of agencies to contact is available at savethemanatee.org/report.
• Protect Seagrass Beds: Avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas where manatees may be feeding. Stick to deep water channels while remaining vigilant, as manatees also utilize these channels during their travels.
• Dispose of Fishing Line Responsibly: Anglers should properly dispose of or recycle used fishing line to prevent entanglement hazards for manatees.

Save the Manatee Club offers a range of free materials to help safeguard manatees and raise awareness about manatee-safe boating practices. Shoreline property owners and park or marina managers can order aluminum dock signs to alert others about the presence of manatees in their areas. Boaters and paddlers can request packets containing a safety tips card, a waterproof boat banner, and a decal to display on their vessels, providing the number to report manatees in distress. To view and request these materials, visit savethemanatee.org/resources. Save the Manatee Club will also be hosting a live webinar for National Safe Boating Week on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:00 p.m. ET. To register, visit savethemanatee.org/register.

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Save the Manatee Club, established in 1981 by the late renowned singer-songwriter, author, and entrepreneur Jimmy Buffett, along with the late former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham, is dedicated to safeguarding manatees and preserving their aquatic habitat. For more information about manatees and the Club’s efforts, visit savethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646).