‘No Wake’ laws help protect manatees
Dear Editor,
In response to “no wake zone is a law – not a suggestion,” there is more at stake than just a homeowner’s seawall — it is also to protect the threatened Florida manatee. Manatees are slow moving mammals who live in shallow water because they breathe air and eat sea grass. Last year boats killed a record-breaking 119 manatees. Statistics from the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) show that, so far, 72 manatees have been killed by watercraft this year (compared to 48 in the same time frame last year). Sixty percent of fatalities are caused by impact trauma of a fast speeding boat (which can be everything from a jet ski to a large power boat). Boaters need to follow the laws — manatee lives depend on it.
Denise Anderson, Sun City Center