Archived News Releases

• Service announces 90-day petition finding for West Indian manatee, to move forward with status review - July 2, 2014
• FWS and NOAA Fisherfies announce designation of terrestrial and marine critical habitat for Loggerhead sea turtles in Northwest Atlantic - July 9, 2014

• Federal and State Officials say red tide killing manatees - March 11, 2013
• Service proposes critical habitat at 90 locations in six southeast US states for NW Atlantic Loggerhead sea turtle population - March 22, 2013
• Service release draft economic analysis for its proposal to designated terrestrial critical habitat for loggerhead sea turtles - July 17, 2013

• Service Improves Manatee Protection in King's Bay - March 15, 2012
• Service ES Offices in Florida Donate Nearly 1 1/2 Ton of Food to local Food Banks - August 31, 2012
• Service Proposes to Upgrade Status of U.S. Breeding Population of Wood Storks to Threatened - December 18, 2012

• Habitual Manatee Zone Violator Sentenced for Killing a Manatee in Brevard County, FL - February 2, 2011
• Interior Clears the Way for Return of Whooping Cranes to Louisiana - February 9, 2011
• Striped Newt a Candidate for Listing under the Endangered Species Act - June 6, 2011
• Federal proposal would broaden manatee protections in Crystal River - June 21, 2011
• Gopher Tortoise in the eastern portion of its range placed on Candidate Species List - July 26, 2011

• Service reopens public comment period for Gopher Tortoise listing petition - January 12, 2010
• Service announces 12-month Finding on Petition to Revise Florida Manatee Critical Habitat - January 12, 2010
• Service urges boaters to be alert as manatee movements increase with warmer weather - February 19, 2010
• NOAA Fisheries and Service announce 12-month finding and proposed reclassification actions for loggerhead sea turtles - March 10, 2010
• Unifed Command announces availability of sea turtle nest and hatchling plan for Florida panhandle and Alabma beaches - June 26, 2010
• Service announces 90-day substantial finding on petition to reclassify the wood stork from endangered to threatened - September 21, 2010
• Service broadens Florida manatee protections in Kings Bay located in Citrus County, Florida - November 5, 2010

• Service clears quarantined manatees for release - January 7, 2009
• Agencies issue revised recovery plan for the Northwest Atlantic Loggerhead - January 16, 2009
• Manatee Zone enforcement slated for Brevard County over the July 4th Weekend - June 22,2009
• Federal Finding Means Gopher Tortoise Status in the Eastern Portion of its Range Merits Further Review - September 9, 2009
• Federal Finding Means Florida Manatee Critical Habitat Designation Merits Further Review - September 29, 2009
• FWS and FDEP will defer release of manatees at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park until 2011 - December 18, 2009

• Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Northwest Atlantic Loggerhead Sea Turtle Available for Review - May 30, 2008

• Federal and State Wildlife Agencies Address Manatee-Human Interactions in Citrus County - March 12, 2007
• Valade selected as a Service 2006 National Recovery Champion - March 23, 2007
• Service Announces Availability of West Indian Manatee Five-Year Review - April 9, 2007
• Service Proposes Post-delisting Management Plan and Limited "take" Permit Regulations - June 1, 2007
• Bald Eagle Soars Off Endangered Species List - June 28, 2007
• Federal agencies announce availability of six five-year status reviews for sea turtles - August 31, 2007
• Service announces availability of the 2007 wood stork five-year status review - September 28, 2007
• Service announces availability of the 2007 Florida scrub-jay five-year status review - October 3, 2007

• 001-06: USFWS announces 90-day Finding on petitions to reclassify the Florida scrub-jay - January 15, 2006
• 002-06: USFWS commences Florida scrub-jay ESA 5-year Status Review - February 15, 2006
• 003-06: USFWS announces reopening of comment period and expansion of its West Indian manatee ESA 5-Year Status Review - March 24, 2006
• 004-06: Conservation Agencies Encourage Boaters to Self-Report Collisions with Manatees - June 16, 2006

• USFWS Announces Availability of Volusia County revised draft HCP and EA - February 25, 2005
• USFWS Announces Final Rule making Pine Island-Estero Bay Emergency MPAs permanent - April 5, 2005
• USFWS seeks Public Input for Manatee 5-year review - April 14, 2005
• USFWS and NMFS announce ESA 5-year Status Review of Threatened and Endangered Sea Turtles - April 21, 2005
• USFWS announces amendment to portion of Lower St. Johns River MPA - April 28, 2005

• USFWS reaffirms 1998 Florida Black Bear Decision - Jan. 14, 2004
• USFWS Statement regarding National Wildlife Federation report - Jan. 22, 2004
• Emergency Designation of an Additional Federal MPA in Lee County - Apr. 7, 2004
• USFWS  withdraws its Federal designation at two manatee refuges in Florida - July 7, 2004
• USFWS extends emergency designation of two Federal manatee refuges in Florida - August 6, 2004
• USFWS proposes to make two emergency Federal manatee refuges permanent - August 6, 20004

• USFWS extends public comment period on proposed MMPA regulations - Jan. 8, 2003
• USFWS reaches agreement to increase protections for Florida manatee - Jan. 24, 2003
• USFWS proposes three additional Manatee Protection Areas in five Florida counties - Apr. 1, 2003
• USFWS announces availability of Final EIS for MMPA rulemaking - Apr. 4, 2003
• USFWS announces withdrawal of Proposed MMPA Incidental Take Regulations - May 5, 2003
• USFWS announces final designation of three Federal Manatee refuges in five Florida counties - Aug. 1, 2003
• NOAA & USFWS announce decision concern the listing of Loggerhead sea turtle - Sept. 15, 2003
• USFWS announces Proposed Withdrawal of Two Federally-designated Manatee Protection Areas - Oct. 21, 2003
• USFWS revises Florida scrub-jay occupied habitat maps for part of Palm Bay, FL - Nov. 6, 2003

• FWS issues final decision on Federal manatee protection areas in Florida - January 2, 2002
• Reintroduced Whooping Cranes Start Migration - April 10, 2002
• USFWS Announces Proposed Amendment to Barge Canal manatee protection area - April 16, 2002
• USFWS Law Enforcement focuses manatee protection area enforcement in Brevard County this weekend - April 16, 2002
• Enforcement of federal manatee protection areas in Brevard County to go into effect soon - May 8, 2002
• USFWS Seeking Public Input on a Process to Conserve Florida Manatees - June 10, 2002
• USFWS Law Enforcement focuses manatee protection area enforcement in Sarasota County next weekend - June 14, 2002
• USFWS Law Enforcement focuses manatee protection area enforcement in Brevard County this weekend - July 2, 2002
• USFWS issues statement on today's U.S. District Court manatee settlement ruling - July 31, 2002
• Service extends emergency manatee protection to seven areas in three Florida counties - September 16, 2002 (Revised 09/20/02)
• Service Finalizes Designation of manatee protection areas in eight Florida counties - November 1, 2002
• Service Notice of request for input on additional measure to protect & recover Florida manatee - November 1, 2002
• Service statement on filing of Manatee Protection Area regulations - November 1, 2002
• Service Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Regulations for the Florida Manatee - November 6, 2002

• Rescue planned for manatees - Jan. 2, 2001
• Manatee lawsuit settled - Jan. 4, 2001
• Manatee recovery plan release postponed - Mar. 1, 2001
• Draft Whooping Crane Migratory Reintroduction Rule Released - Mar. 9, 2001
• Service considers special regulations for Florida manatee - Mar. 13, 2001
• Parties Agree to Extend Deadline for Proposed Federal Manatee Protection Areas - Mar. 23,2001
• USFWS State Supervisor Statement on Fla. FWCC proposed Brevard County Manatee Rule - Mar. 30, 2001
• USFWS Statement on FWCC manatee settlement decision - Apr. 20, 2001
• Ultralight-led Sandhill Cranes return to Necedah NWR - May 1, 2001
• Parties Agree to 2nd Deadline Extension for Proposed Federal Manatee Protection Areas - May 2, 2001
• Proposed Designation of Federal Manatee Protection Areas postponed an additional 30 days - Jun. 29, 2001
• Draft Florida Manatee Recovery Plan, Third Revision available for public review and comment - Jul. 10, 2001
• Proposed Rule on Federal Designation of Manatee Protection Areas Announced - Aug. 2, 2001
• Public Hearing Schedule on Federal Manatee Protection Areas Announced - Aug. 27, 2001
• Eagle Killers Sentenced - Aug. 27, 2001
• Revised Manatee Recovery Plan Released - Oct. 30, 2001

• Whooping Crane shooting reward - Nov. 20, 2000
• Manatee Refuges & Sanctuaries Public Workshops - Nov. 27, 2000
• Manatee Revised Recovery Plan Availability - Nov. 30, 2000

Map showing the USFWS Florida ES Offices' Areas of Responsibility - PDF - 135KB

Charles Underwood
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
7915 Baymeadows Way, Suite 200
Jacksonville, FL 32256

Tel: 904-731-3332
Fax: 904-731-3045
E-mail: Public Affairs Officer

Ken Warren
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1339 20th St.
Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559

Tel: 772-562-3909 ext. 323
Fax: 772-562-4288
E-mail: Public Affairs Officer

Denise Rowell
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1612 June Avenue
Panama City, FL 32405-3721

Tel: (251) 441-6630
Fax: (850) 763-2177
E-mail:Public Affairs Officer