One thing that boaters in Florida have to be on the lookout for is Manatee protection zones.

The manatee is a large mammal similar to a seal that lives in Florida waters. It’s an endangered species that is often killed when hit by boats. To protect manatees the state of Florida has set up twenty protection zones where boaters have to slow down or stay out to protect the manatee.

Since the manatee is an endangered species a person who disrupts their habitat can be subject to a $50,000 fine or a year in a federal prison. Such a person can include a boater who zips through manatee habitat. This means that boaters should be extra careful in manatee protection zones.

There are a number of special zones that have been set up to protect manatees. Boaters who enter these zones face a wide variety of restrictions and prohibitions. Several different kinds of zones have been created to protect the manatees they are:

• Vessel exclusion areas. These are areas where all boats or certain kinds of boats such as motorboats can’t go because manatees live there. These areas are marked by special signs.

• Idle Speed No Wake Zones This is an area where a lot of manatees have been seen. In such an area a motorboat’s speed must move as slowly as it can. This lessens the possibility of a manatee getting hit by a boat. The boat can’t be seen to be leaving a wake behind it in such an area.

• Slow Speed Minimum Wake This an area where boats have to move at low speeds to avoid collisions with manatees. The boat has to leave little or no wake and not leave the surface of the water.

• Maximum 25 Miles Per Hour Speed Zone. This is pretty self explanatory the boat can’t move over 25 miles an hour in this zone.

• Maximum 35 Miles Per Hour Speed Zone

• Maximum 30 Miles Per Hour Speed Zone

In all of these zones the boat’s bow can’t rise above the water when it is moving through. If the bow is above the water that means the boat is moving too fast.

All Florida boat drivers should be on the lookout for manatees and know where they might be lurking. Manatees are usually found in rivers, canals, bays and other estuaries. They prefer calmer water and can be found in salt or freshwater. Manatees prefer warmer water in the winter so they might be found near power plants which put out warm water or hot springs.