What do Fl House Bill 349 and manatees have to do with each other? If one survives, the other will perish. 

We are all aware of 2 things here in Florida. 1. Our state's population is growing exponentially. 2. Our State Marine Mammal, the Manatee, has a population decline each year to the point that there are only 6,000 left in the wild.

I want to stress the fact that I am in favor of development. It allows economic growth and new opportunities for our state. It does not allow, however, for the destruction and devastation of what makes Florida beautiful and unique.

Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Rep. Tyler Sirois have brought forward HB 349, a program to allow developers to pay money so that they can dig up and destroy the remaining natural seagrass in Brevard and other coastal areas, with the hope that it can be regrown someplace else, possibly the Panhandle or the Gulf Coast.

A record number of manatees died in Florida last year, according to a report released by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. From January 1 to December 31, 2021, preliminary data shows 1,101 reported manatee deaths in the state — nearly double the five-year average — with most dying of starvation.

Of the more than 1,000 deaths, 103 of them were watercraft-related, the state found, seven were crushed or drowned in flood gates and canal locks, and another seven were killed by human-related causes, such as poaching or rope entanglement. More than half of the deceased manatees were not necropsied, or their cause of death has been undetermined. 

There are only about 6,000 manatees in all of Florida. So explain to me how HB 349 makes sense to anyone? They have the "hope" that the seagrass can be regrown someplace else. And the location is in the Panhandle.

Manatees do not prefer those waters. Additionally, we should not pose more dangers to manatees just for them to get a meal (more encounters with boats, more significant meat-eating marine life, etc.). If you look at conditions for planting seagrass, the state of the water has to be free of toxins, and other environmental qualities need to be in place. For this very reason, Legislation has been enacted to protect marine resources, including seagrass habitats, by the State of Florida. This has resulted in various environmental regulations, including the control of dredge and fill activities and the establishment of aquatic preserves protected from extensive coastal development.

Manatees can help prevent vegetation from becoming overgrown, and they consume water hyacinth and other invasive species, improving the ecosystem's health. Manatees are also essential fertilization sources for seagrasses and other submerged aquatic vegetation.

Without Manatee's to eat large quantities of seagrass, the vegetation would become obstructive to Florida Waterways. By limiting vegetation growth, they control mosquitos population and overgrowth. Manatees do not harm any other organisms and have no immediate predators.

So what we are asking specifically to Rep Sirors, who campaigned on a promise to restore the Indian River Lagoon, one of the hardest-hit places for Manatees, and to protect the environment, is it worth risking 100% destruction for a chance of success? The answer is no. 

2022 is an election year, and both representatives are up for reelection. We need to help Rep. Randy Fine and Rep. Thad Altman fight on behalf of the Manatees. Please share this to as many people as you can, even if you don't live in Florida, these gentle giants need the help of everyone right now. Should this bill pass, their fate is sealed. Keep the Manatees Fed, Put HB 349 to Bed!