Florida Pukes Restart Assault On Manatee Protection Laws

[hatrack]

TALLAHASSEE — "Sen. Mike Bennett and Rep. Lindsay Harrington have earned pro-development, anti-manatee reputations for their roles in the annual legislative fights over the endangered species. Everything they say or do about manatees is seen through that prism. And they say plenty.

Harrington, R-Punta Gorda, contends that manatees have recovered from the dangerously low levels that earned them special protection under state and federal endangered species laws. Bennett, R-Bradenton, likewise downplays the danger that boats pose to the mammals. ‘‘Manatees lead to manatee deaths,’’ he said. ‘‘The more you have, the more are going to die.’’

Outraged environmentalists say the two lawmakers are on a mission to roll back regulations needed to ensure manatees’ survival as a favor to boat manufacturers, recreational boaters and waterfront developers. ‘‘They want to come back every year and gut the protection of manatees,’’ said Pat Rose, a biologist with the Save the Manatee Club.

EDIT

This year’s fight is over bills sponsored by Bennett and Harrington that call for more manatee studies, including one by Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory. But the legislation also says that when manatee populations in different parts of the state reach certain levels, more protection regulations, such as boat speed limits in those areas, aren’t needed. And the bills would change the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s mission, adding maximizing recreational boating to the agency’s stated goal of maximizing manatee protection.

Environmentalists said the legislation would cause more manatee deaths, a charge Bennett rejected. ‘‘People say we’re killing manatees,’’ he told a Senate committee hearing. ‘‘We’ve not named manatees the other white meat, so I don’t know how we’re doing that.’’ He added, ‘‘I love manatees. I think it’s a great bill that will make manatees safer and more protected.’’ This is more than environmentalists can take. John Swingle, chairman of the Florida Sierra Club’s conservation group, compared it to tribal hunters dressing in animal skins. ‘‘That doesn’t make them the animal they’re hunting,’’ he said. ‘‘Calling this a manatee protection act does not make it so.’’

EDIT

[GainesT1958]

1. These idiots must own major stock in Evinrude...

Or in Kawansaki (Jet-Ski makers). Their "argument" is a stupid as the NRA's old "Guns don't kill people; people kill people!" mantra.

They both ought to be forced to wrestle a more viscious aquatic animal--a Gator--in his OWN pond!:evilgrin:

B-)

[hatrack]

4. Hey! Earth Day's over 'till next year!

So why not go for it?

[LibertyLover]

2. Manatees

A year or so ago, my husband and I went down to DisneyWorld and met up with a friend of mine and her new husband - Republicans and Bush (both W and Jeb) supporters. We were in The Living Seas pavilion enjoying looking at the manatees when the new husband walked up and announced that it would be cheaper to import manatees from South America and restock the US population that way rather than to provide protection for them in the first place. He then walked off to look at something else leaving us dumbstruck. We briefly thought about pitching him in the manatee pool, but decided that since they were vegetarians they wouldn't be interested in eating him and besides, polluting is frowned upon at Epcot.

[mmm]

5. Manatees are awesome

You can still swim with them.
While I don't believe divers should chase them and I discourage physical contact I think everyone should take the time to swim
along side the thousand pound gentle giants. They are very responsive and pleasant companions. I cannot fathom how any mf could
wantonly harm them. Just the thought of it is almost more than I can bear.

[dedhed]

3. What do you expect? Manatees don't vote!

Fill in the Republican blank...

'---------- lead to ---------- deaths,’ he said. ‘The more you have, the more are going to die.’

Ooh, ohh... I got one!!! "Homeless lead to homeless deaths!"

:crazy:

[seasat]

6. Repubs are pretty ignorant about manatees.

I remember one coming on this board a while back and declaring that manatees were not native to Florida so they didn't need to be protected. I kid y'all not. I've got some fossilized manatee rib bones that I picked up on a dive trip that physically contradict that.

[BeFree]

7. A case for more...Manatees that is

Manatees taste good.

Not that I've ever eaten one, mind you, but many old time Florida fishermen have. Indians too.

Hardly any are eaten today because there are too few for a harvest. But if populations could rise, Manatee steaks would bring an economic boost to many a poor fisherman.

In fact it's an economic crime that Manatees are kept from reaching a harvestable level. Besides a crime of a birthright being stolen from many a Florida coastal fishing family, the decline in Manatees makes no ecological sense, and anyone proposing or accepting any action whereby Manatees can not reach a sustainable harvest level is an enemy of people.

Bring back the Manatee, I'm hungry!