Tequesta Police Marine Unit reminds boaters to be aware of manatees

On Sunday, one local police marine unit went out to remind boaters to be aware of manatees when boating.

WATERS.

FLORIDA FISH ANDWILDLIFE SAYS OF THAT NUMBER,NEARLY 80 WERE KILLED AS ARESULT OF INTERACTIONS WITHWATERCRAFT.

SO ONE LOCALPOLICE MARINE UNIT WENT OUTTODAY TO REMIND THOSE ON THEWATER TO BE AWARE OF THESEGENTLE GIANTS.*NAT* IM_0400 (CLIP 400BOAT DRVIES BY) OUT ON THEINTRACOASTAL, LIEUTENENT JAMESPIKE WITH THE VILLAGE OFTEQUESTA POLICE DEPARTMENTSMARINE UNIT IS WATCHING.*NAT* IM_0402 00:00:00(WEHERE SO WE WILL BE MAKING ASTOP.) WATCHING FOR BOATERSWHO MAY BE ENDANGERING ONE OFMOST PRECIOUS RESIDENTS INFLORIDA'S WATERS... THEMANATEE.

TEQUESTA IS ONE OFNINE COMMUNITIES THAT PARTNERWITH PALM BEACH COUNTY'SDEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALRESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

<<TEALKAWANA /// ENVIRONMENTALANALYST - PALM BEACH COUNTYENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCEMANAGEMENT (20:03:53)“WE DOSEE MORE MANATEE ACTIVITY OVERTHE WINTER MONTHS AND THATBECAUSE DURING THE COLDERWEATHER, MANATEES AREMIGRATING DOWN HERE TO WARMERWATERS FROM UP NORTH ANDLOOKING FOR THOSE WARM WATERREFUGES TO STAY IN TO STAYWARMER” LT.

PIKE, WHO WAS ACOMMERCIAL BOAT CAPTAIN BEFOREJOINING THE POLICE, IS ONE OFSEVEN MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE'SMARINE UNIT.

(20:16:25“SOMETIMES CHAOTIC BUTENJOYABLE.

ITAND SPEAK WITH THE PEOPLE ANDMAKE CONTACTS”) WHEN HE MAKESCONTACT WITH BOATERS, THERE ISTHE ENFORCEMENT PART.(20:11:07“WE GIVE THEM A CARDTHAT EXPLAINS YOUR SAFETYZONES, THAT EXPLAINS THEDIFFERENCE BETWEEN IDLESPEEDS, SLOW SPEEDS, MINIMUMWAKE OR IN THIS PARTICULARCASE ITZONE WHICH HAS A SPEEDLIMIT”) BUT THERE'S ALSOCONNECTIONS TO BE MADE WITHYOUNGER BOATERS.

(00:10:00“HERE YOU GO GUYS, THIS ISMANNY THE MANATEE”) (BUTT TO:20:14:09“IT HELPS US GIVEPOSITIVE CONTEXT WITH THEYOUNGER PEOPLE ON BOATS.

ANDMAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS APOSITIVE CONTACT.

BUT IT ALSOENLISTS THEM TO HELP US SLOWTHE BOATERS DOWN, THEY SLOWTHEIR PARENTS DOWN.

AND TELLTHEM“SLOW FOR MANN” AND THATSLOWS DOWN OUR AREA ALSO TOPROTECT THE MANATEE AND BESAFE FOR EVERYBODY”)MANATEE SEASON RUNS FROMNOVEMBER 15TH TO MARCH 31ST.DIAL STAR-F-W-C FROM YOURPHONE TO REPORT AN INJUREDMANA