Daytona Beach, FL - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is stepping up their patrol efforts to keep boaters and manatees safe.
And it's not just for Volusia County, it's also for Lee and Brevard as well.
According to the FWC, these three counties have reported higher numbers of boat strikes on manatees so far this year.
"We strategically assign officers to patrol certain areas based on boating activity and manatee data," said Colonel Curtis Brown, director of the FWC Law Enforcement division. "We also work closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and local partners to make sure that boaters know to look out for manatees. We want (everyone) to be safe."
Boaters can do their part too by paying attention to their surrounds to keep people and manatees safe. They can also abide by posted speed zone signs, wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare on the water's surface, which makes it easier to see manatees.
And they advise that people try to stay in deep-water channels whenever possible and avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas.
You can find more information on the FWC's website.
