CERP Manatee Guidelines

Interim II - Evaluating New Watercraft Access in Florida (pdf)

U.S. Coast Guard Clearance Letter for Manatees and Sea Turtles (pdf)

CERP Manatee Guidelines
(Current as of October 2006)

Guidelines and maps for manatee conservation during Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Implementation are listed to the right, along with additional guidelines for manatee management issues.

Chokoloskee Area of Inadequate Protection (AIP)
(Current as of March 2008)

Everglades National Park has scheduled a second public meeting to present and seek comments on the park's preferred alternative to establish manatee speed zones in southern Chokoloskee Bay. The meeting is March 26 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Everglades City School.

For more information on the park's proposal and the public comment period, please visit the Everglades National Park website at:

Everglades National Park - Park seeks public comment on a Plan to address the Manatee Area of Inadequate Protection in the Gulf Coast area of Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Interim II - Process for Evaluating New Watercraft Access in Florida
(Current as of July 2005)

The Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have developed a joint process for evaluating new watercraft access projects in the State of Florida. A copy of the latest draft report is available above.

Note: The Service, the Corps and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are currently revising the Manatee Key and Interim II now that all 13 "key" counties have implemented State-approved Manatee Protection Plans as of December 31, 2007.

U.S. Coast Guard Clearance Letter for Manatees and Sea Turtles
(Current as of May 2006)

The South Florida Ecological Services Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service receives a large number of requests from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) requesting consultation for marine-related events and their potential effects on the West Indian manatee and sea turtles. This letter provides the USCG guidance and subsequent clearance to proceed with a variety of recreational marine activities. Click on the link above to download and view the complete clearance letter.

Related Links:
Additional manatee information is available from the North Florida Ecological Services Office manatee page.

For More Information:
For questions about manatee protection not answered in this article, please contact Kalani Cairns at 772/562-3909 x 240.