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Holiday Weekend Crackdown On Boaters In Brevard Co. Manatee Zones

Credit: David Hinkle  USFWS
Credit: David Hinkle USFWS

Boaters in Brevard – beware. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will be cracking down on boat speeds in Manatee zones.

Agents and officers will patrol the water making sure boaters follow speed restrictions in manatee zones.

Brevard County has one of the highest concentration of manatees in the state. And U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesman Chuck Underwood said slowing down for manatees also benefits boaters. “As we have these large numbers of boats on the waterways, strictly enforcing the zones helps keep people safe as well as manatees,” said Underwood.

Federal fines for speeding in a manatee zone range from $125 to $25,000.

The crackdown starts Friday and runs through the holiday weekend.