Clearwater Marine Aquarium Inc

SALT AND SILVER GLEN SPRING MANATEE MONITORING, WARM WATER SITE ASSESSMENT AND VEGETATION RESTORATION

THE RECENT AND ONGOING COLLAPSE OF FORAGING RESOURCES ON THE ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA HAS LED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF FLORIDA MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS) MORTALITIES AND AN OVERCROWDING OF REHABILITATION FACILITIES FOR RESCUED INDIVIDUALS. WHILE ORIGINALLY DECLARED IN 2021, THE IMPACTS OF THIS UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT (UME) OF MANATEES ARE STILL ONGOING AND STAFF FROM THE CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CMARI) SERVES A UNIQUE ROLE AS THE FIRST-RESPONDERS IN THE FIELD FOR MANATEE RESCUE NEEDS. OUR ORGANIZATION S FIELD EXPERTISE ENABLES OUR RESEARCHERS TO ASSESS AND VERIFY MANATEES IN NEED OF RESCUE AND ASSIST FEDERAL PARTNERS WITH RESCUE EFFORTS.ONCE THESE INDIVIDUALS COMPLETE THEIR REHABILITATION PERIODS, CMARI MONITORS THE NAIVE MANATEES RELEASED THROUGH THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP. CMARI IS ALSO STRIVING TO TAG AS MANY RECOVERED ADULTS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE UME UPON THEIR RELEASE AS STAFFING AND RESOURCES WILL ENABLE. TRACKING WILL HELP ENHANCE THE SURVIVAL CHANCES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LONG-TERM HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THE UME ON MANATEES, AND DETERMINE ANY HABITAT USE CHANGES THROUGHOUT THEIR SOUTHEASTERN RANGE.THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE CMARI S RESOURCE AVAILABILITY TO RESPOND, ASSESS, RESCUE, AND MONITOR POST-RELEASE MANATEES, AS WELL AS EVALUATE THE HEALTH AND ADAPTATION OF MANATEES AS A RESULT OF THE UME OF MANATEES ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST. KEY ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE RESPONDING FOR RESCUE ASSESSMENTS, RESCUE PARTICIPATION, VIGILANT MONITORING OF POST-RELEASE MANATEES, WITH INTERVENTIONS MADE WHEN NECESSARY. ACCOMPLISHMENTS WOULD INCLUDE THE SUCCESSFUL ACCLIMATION AND SURVIVAL OF POST-RELEASE MANATEES INTO THE WILD. DATA COLLECTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE LONGER-TERM EFFECTS OF STARVATION ON THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE, HOW THAT MAY IMPACT ASSIMILATION BACK INTO THE WILD, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHETHER ANIMALS ARE ALTERING THEIR BEHAVIOR DUE TO THE IMPACTS OF THE UME.

AT THE END OF EACH WINTER SEASON AN INCREASING NUMBER OF FLORIDA MANATEES MIGRATE NORTH OUT OF STATE INTO GEORGIA SEEKING ALTERNATE FORAGING SITES. SINCE 2015 RESEARCHERS FROM CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAVE BEEN COLLECTING HEALTH AND HABITAT DATA ON THESE MIGRANT MANATEES WHICH HAS BECOME AN INVALUABLE DATASET SINCE THE UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT HAS IMPACTED THE SPECIES. CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAS INFORMATION ON THE HEALTH AND HABITAT USE OF MANATEES PRIOR TO THE START OF AND DURING THE UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT AND NOW SEEKS FUNDS TO CONTINUE DATA COLLECTION AS THE CATASTROPHE SLOWS TO DETERMINE IF ANY LONG TERM HEALTH IMPACTS CAN BE DETERMINED TO LINGER AND WHETHER HABITAT SHIFTS ARE CONTINUING TO OCCUR OR IF THEY ARE RETURNING TO HISTORIC USAGES.DATA COLLECTION WILL INCLUDE THE HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF BETWEEN TEN TO FIFTEEN MANATEES WITHIN TWO CRITICAL HABITATS IN GEORGIA. BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES WILL BE COLLECTED FOR ROUTINE ANALYSIS AND SAMPLES WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES WORKING TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THE UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT. UP TO TEN MANATEES WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH SATELLITE TAGS AND TRACKED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR HABITAT USE WITHIN GEORGIA AND THROUGHOUT THE ATLANTIC COAST. SUCH DATA WILL ALSO HELP FURTHER IDENTIFY MANATEE USE OF INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGE SITES IN HABITATS OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA TO ASSIST FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCY MANAGEMENT OF THESE SITE TO REDUCE THEIR ATTRACTION EFFECTS ON MANATEE MIGRATION. WITH THE INCREASED NUMBER OF MANATEES UTILIZING HABITATS NORTH OF FLORIDA IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT DATA CONTINUES TO BE COLLECTED TO ENHANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIES USE OF AREAS DURING PERIODS OF HABITAT LOSS. A MORE ROBUST UNDERSTANDING OF LONG TERM SURVIVAL STRATEGIES AS THEY RELATE TO MANATEE THERMOREGULATION AND NOURISHMENT DURING STARVATION EVENTS CAN PROVIDE MANAGERS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO HELP REDUCE UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT MORTALITY NUMBERS IN THE FUTURE. SUCH KNOWLEDGE GAPS WILL BE FILLED THROUGH THE CURRENT HEALTH COMPARISON OF WILD MANATEES AND THE SATELLITE TELEMETRY OF INDIVIDUAL MANATEE MIGRATION PATTERNS.

SUPPORTING THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP THROUGH INCREASED CAPACITY FOR SECOND STAGE MANATEE REHABILITATION

ENHANCE CAPABILITY TO MEET FUTURE POST-RELEASE MANATEE MONITORING DEMANDS

DUE TO THE CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF AVAILABLE SEAGRASSES AND THE RESULTING UNPRECEDENTED FLORIDA MANATEE TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT UME ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST, MORE THAN 1,000 MANATEE CARCASSES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED AND JUST OVER 100 MANATEES HAVE BEEN RESCUED FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION 2022 THE UME IS STILL ADVERSELY IMPACTING THE FLORIDA MANATEE AND EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE SURVIVABILITY CHANCES OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE POPULATION HAS BECOME A KEY PRIORITY RESEARCHERS FROM CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE CMARI HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN LOCATING MANATEES IN DISTRESS AND ASSISTING STATE AGENCIES IN RESCUE EFFORTS MANATEES RESCUED ARE BROUGHT INTO CRITICAL CARE REHABILITATION FACILITIES FOR MEDICAL CARE AND NUTRITIONAL TREATMENT DEPENDING ON THEIR LEVEL OF NEED ONCE THESE INDIVIDUALS COMPLETE THEIR REHABILITATION PERIOD, CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE MONITORS THE NA?VE MANATEES RELEASED THROUGH THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP MRP CMARI IS STRIVING TO ALSO TAG AS MANY RECOVERED ADULTS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE UME UPON THEIR RELEASE AS STAFFING AND EQUIPMENT RESOURCES WILL ENABLE GAINING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MANATEES DISPERSE AND USE AVAILABLE FORAGING AND WARM WATER HABITAT IS VITAL FOR THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLANNING EFFORTS OF THE SPECIES KEY ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE RESPONDING FOR RESCUE ASSESSMENTS, RESCUE PARTICIPATION, AND VIGILANT MONITORING OF POST RELEASE MANATEES, WITH INTERVENTIONS MADE WHEN NECESSARY TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND SURVIVAL OF MANATEES POST RELEASE AS THE EFFECTS OF THE ONGOING UME CONTINUE INTO THE UNFORESEEABLE FUTURE DATA COLLECTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE LONGER TERM EFFECTS OF STARVATION ON THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE, HOW THAT MAY IMPACT ASSIMILATION BACK INTO THE WILD, AND HOW TO ENHANCE RELEASE PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL RE ENTRY INTO THE WILD RESULTS WILL ALSO ALLOW A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE MANATEES ARE SEEKING ALTERNATIVE FOOD SOURCES IN A CHANGING ECOSYSTEM BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE MADE TO INFORM MANAGERS REGARDING FUTURE RESTORATION AND PROTECTION INITIATIVES FOR THIS SPECIES

INCREASE MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS) RESCUE EFFORT CAPACITY THROUGH THE USE OF NOVEL TECHNOLOGY AND EXPAND CAPACITY TO COLLECT HEALTH AND LIFE HISTORY PARAMETERS

CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE SERVES AS THE PARTNER TASKED WITH THE POST RELEASE MONITORING OF NAIVE MANATEES FOR THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP WHICH IS A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO THE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION AND RELEASE OF INJURED AND SICK MANATEES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. OUR POST RELEASE MONITORING OF INDIVIDUALS RELEASED FROM REHABILITATION TO ENHANCE SURVIVAL HAS NEARLY DOUBLED WITHIN A THREE YEAR TIME FRAME. CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS NOW MONITORING 19 ANIMALS THIS SEASON WHICH IS AN INCREASE FROM 11 IN 2022. THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE OUR STAFF TO MONITOR ADDITIONAL ANIMALS RELEASED OVER 2025 THROUGH THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP AND AN ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN INDIVIDUALS RELEASED DURING THE 2026 SEASON WHICH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT AND FIELD HOURS.A PILOT PROJECT WAS INITIATED AT THE USFWS WELAKA FISH HATCHERY DUE TO LIMITED SPACE AT REHABILITATION FACILITIES FOR A SELECT FEW MANATEES TO LEARN ADDITIONAL ADAPTABILITY SKILLS WITHIN THE NATURAL PONDS ON THE PROPERTY WHICH MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT NATURAL CONDITIONS. SEVEN NAIVE MANATEES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED FROM THE SITE THIS WINTER. SIX OF THESE MANATEES ARE CURRENTLY BEING MONITORED IN THE WILD BY OUR STAFF. ANOTHER GROUP OF 6 TO 12 MANATEES ARE EXPECTED TO BE ADMITTED INTO THE HATCHERY FOR REHABILITATION THIS SUMMER. THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP WITH PARTNERS INCLUDING CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE CONDUCTS MONTHLY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS ON THE WELAKA GROUP AND ASSESSES BEHAVIOR AND ADAPTABILITY. OUR STAFF EQUIPS EACH MANATEE WITH SPECIALIZED TAGGING ASSEMBLIES THAT ALLOW THE IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE PONDS. THE BEHAVIORAL DATA COLLECTED WEEKLY BY OUR TEAM ENABLES THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP TO ASCERTAIN RELEASE READINESS AND ADJUST CONDITIONS AS NECESSARY. THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE DURING THE MONTHLY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND COLLECT BEHAVIORAL DATA AND EQUIP WELAKA MANATEES WITH PRERELEASE TRACKING ASSEMBLIES DURING THEIR REHABILITATION AT THE PONDS.OUR WORK WITH THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP COMBINED WITH OUR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH WILD MANATEES HAS GAINED OUR ORGANIZATION THE CREDENTIALS TO SERVE AS MANATEE RESCUE VERIFIERS AND RESCUERS AND TRANSPORTERS. MANATEE RELOCATION AND RESCUE ARE NECESSARY WITHIN GEORGIA AND THE CAROLINAS AND SOMETIMES STATES FURTHER NORTH AS MANATEES VENTURE AFIELD DURING SPRING MIGRATION AND REMAIN WITHIN NORTHERN REGIONS DURING THE ONSET OF WINTER. OUR ORGANIZATION HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH PERSONNEL WITHIN GEORGIA TO EQUIP THESE STAFF MEMBERS WITH THE TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE TO RESPOND TO RESCUE AND STRANDING EVENTS. OUR DATA INDICATES THAT MANATEE MOVEMENTS INTO THE CAROLINAS IS CONSISTENT AND MAY EVEN BE INCREASING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. YET NORTHERN REGIONS HAVE LIMITED TRAINED PERSONNEL TO RESPOND TO SUCH EVENTS AND AGENCIES WITHIN THESE STATES ARE SEEKING TRAINING TO INCREASE CAPACITY. THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS OUT OF FLORIDA RESCUE VERIFIERS AND ASSIST WITH RESCUES AS NEEDED AND BUILD THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY TO ASSESS MANATEE HEALTH AND RESCUE NEEDS.THE PROJECT PROPOSED HEREIN SEEKS TO ENHANCE THE SURVIVAL CHANCES OF REHABILITATED FLORIDA MANATEES THROUGH PRERELEASE ADAPTABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND POST RELEASE MONITORING AND TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUT OF STATE FEDERALLY AUTHORIZED PARTNERS IN MANATEE RESCUE RESPONSE. ACCOMPLISHMENTS WOULD INCLUDE INSIGHTS INTO ADDITIONAL PRERELEASE BEHAVIORAL ADAPTIVE NEEDS OF MANATEES AND SUCCESSFUL MONITORING FOR ACCLIMATION AND SURVIVAL OF POST RELEASED MANATEES INTO THE WILD AND RESCUE EFFORTS FOR OUT OF STATE ANIMALS AND THE TRAINING OF PERSONNEL IN NORTHERN REGIONS FOR FIELD RESPONSE ASSESSMENTS AND RELOCATION AND RESCUE PROTOCOLS.

SUPPORTING THE MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP THROUGH ENHANCED MARINE MAMMAL TRANSPORT CAPABILITIES IN THE SOUTHEAST REGION

FRED HOWARD PARK NECROPSY FIELD STATION - ENHANCING CETACEAN NECROPSY CAPACITY FOR FLORIDA'S GULF COAST REGION

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR CETACEAN REHABILITATION THROUGH FACILITY ENHANCEMENT

FLORIDA MANATEES ARE VULNERABLE TO COLD STRESS SYNDROME WHEN EXPOSED TO WATER TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEGREES C FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME BOSSART ET AL 2022. TO SURVIVE FLORIDA WINTERS MANATEE AGGREGATE AT NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL WARM WATER SITES WHERE WATER TEMPERATURES REMAIN APPROXIMATELY 22 DEGREES C LAIST ET AL 2013. NATURAL WARM WATER SITES ARE CRUCIAL FOR MANATEE SURVIVAL AS THE STATUS OF ARTIFICIAL WARM WATER SITES IS LARGELY UNCERTAIN WITH MANY POWERPLANTS PROPOSING TO SHUT DOWN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. KINGS BAY SUPPORTS THE LARGEST WINTERING MANATEE AGGREGATION IN A NATURAL SYSTEM KLEEN AND BRELAND 2014 AND HAS DEVELOPED A ROBUST ECOTOURISM INDUSTRY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SWIM WITH MANATEES. CONSEQUENTLY THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE CRYSTAL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE USFWS CRNWF WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE BAY TO PROTECT MANATEES. USFWS CRNWR MANAGES SEVEN SEASONAL MANATEE SANCTUARIES THAT PROHIBIT PUBLIC ACCESS FROM 15 NOVEMBER TO 31 MARCH EACH YEAR AND FOUR TEMPORARY MANATEE SANCTUARIES THAT PROHIBIT PUBLIC ACCESS DURING EXTREME COLD EVENTS. WHILE AMBIENT TEMPERATURES DRIVE LOCAL MANATEE MIGRATIONS TO KINGS BAY ANNUALLY THEIR HABITAT USE AND PREFERENCES FOR WARM WATER SITES MANAGED BY USFWS CRNWR DEPEND ON A COMBINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND HUMAN PRESENCE AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SLONE ET AL. 2023. UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE FACTORS INFLUENCE MANATEE HABITAT USE AND PREFERENCES FOR WARM WATER SITES MANAGED BY USFWS CRNWR CAN HELP TO INFORM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SLONE ET AL. 2023 INVESTIGATED HABITAT USE BETWEEN WARM WATER SITES WITHIN KINGS BAY USING TELEMETRY DATA FROM 2006 TO 2018 AND MANATEE COUNTS AT THREE SISTERS SPRINGS A WARM WATER SEASONAL MANATEE SANCTUARY MANAGED BY USFWS CRNWR FROM 2014 TO 2017. THE STUDY FOUND A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HABITAT USE AND TIDAL CHANGES AND TIME OF DAY AND AMBIENT GULF WATER TEMPERATURES AND THE PRESENCE OF VISITORS. THE RESULTS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY USED TO ESTABLISH A TEMPERATURE THRESHOLD 17 DEGREES C THAT TRIGGERS TEMPORARY CLOSURES AND OR EXPANSIONS OF WARM WATER SITES MANAGED BY USFWS CRNWR. HOWEVER THE DATA IS OUTDATED AND NEW DATA IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT CURRENT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY ACQUIRING A DATA SET THAT IS MORE ROBUST AND REFLECTIVE OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION RATHER THAN ONLY A SUBSET OF TAGGED INDIVIDUALS WILL HELP TO ENSURE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ARE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE.

THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL USES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND INSPIRE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING RIGHT WHALES AND THEIR HABITAT. FESTIVAL OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT RIGHT WHALES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. CALVING AREA WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SEASONAL RETURN, 2) PROVIDE ATTENDEES WITH PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON WAYS TO HELP PROTECT THESE WHALES, AND 3) COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVE ACTIONS/EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND RECOVER ENDANGERED RIGHT WHALES.

THE PROJECTS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE TO MAINTAIN AN OPTIMAL, PATIENT-READY REHABILITATION FACILITY THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS NMFS STANDARDS, SUSTAIN THE NETWORKS CURRENT CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CARE TO LIVE-STRANDED CETACEANS AND OFFSET FACILITY MAINTENANCE EXPENSES BY SECURING FUNDING TO RESURFACE ITS REHABILITATION POOL.

FORMALIZE AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER TRAINING TO INCREASE COLLABORATION AND STRANDING RESPONSE EFFICIENCY

CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM (CMA) AIMS TO PROCURE A NEW 150HP YAMAHA 4-STROKE OUTBOARD ENGINE AND A NEW TRAILER FOR ITS 24 FT CAROLINA SKIFF TO INCREASE ITS AVAILABILITY AND LONGEVITY LOCALLY AND REGION-WIDE, IN RESPONSE TO FREE-SWIMMING ENTANGLED SMALL CETACEANS, OUT-OF-HABITAT CETACEANS, AND MASS STRANDING EVENTS.

2021 RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL

EACH YEAR, CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CMARI), ALONG WITH FESTIVAL PARTNERS, HOSTS THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE THE SEASONAL RETURN OF THE ENDANGERED NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE AND BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR THE SPECIES. THE 2023 RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL WILL ONCE AGAIN BE HELD ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH & SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH AT THE MAIN BEACH PARK IN FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA, WITH AN AFTERNOON EDUCATIONAL EVENT ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD. THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL DRAWS OVER 12,000 ATTENDEES AND OVER 80 EXHIBITORS, THUS EXTENSIVE PLANNING AND OUTREACH IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL. THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL USES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND INSPIRE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING RIGHT WHALES AND THEIR HABITAT. FESTIVAL OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT RIGHT WHALES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. CALVING AREA WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SEASONAL RETURN, 2) PROVIDE ATTENDEES PRACTICAL

CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM (CMA) AIMS TO UPGRADE ITS NECROPSY TRAILER AND CARCASS RECOVERY PRACTICES TO INCREASE HUMAN SAFETY, IMPROVE RESPONSE EFFICIENCY, AND ADVANCE NECROPSY SAMPLING CAPABILITIES. ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES WILL INCLUDE INCREASED RESOURCES AND SKILLED PERSONNEL CAPABLE OF THOROUGH NECROPSIES, WHICH ENHANCES THE NETWORK'S CAPABILITIES DURING MASS STRANDINGS AND UMES; PROTECTION OF PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES BY MITIGATING LOSS AND INJURY; IMPROVED CAPACITY TO SUPPORT NOAA-PERMITTED RESEARCHERS THROUGH PROPER SAMPLE STORAGE; AND ENHANCED DATA COLLECTION TO SUPPORT EMERGING DISEASE AND CAUSE OF DEATH INVESTIGATIONS.

THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL USES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND INSPIRE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING RIGHT WHALES AND THEIR HABITAT. FESTIVAL OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT RIGHT WHALES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. CALVING AREA WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SEASONAL RETURN, 2) PROVIDE ATTENDEES PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON WAYS TO HELP PROTECT THESE WHALES, AND 3) COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVE ACTIONS/EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND RECOVER ENDANGERED RIGHT WHALES.

CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM CMA IS REQUESTING 8,688 IN FEDERAL PRESCOTT FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE NETWORK S RESPONSE TO ANONGOING UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT UME OF FLORIDA MANATEES TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA THIS SPECIFIC UME IS CENTERED AROUND THE CURRENT ECOLOGICAL STATE OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON AND THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON LOCALMANATEE POPULATIONS THE HIGH LEVEL OF RESCUES AND MORTALITIES DUE TO THE UME IS FURTHER EXACERBATED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WITH THEADDITION OF COLD WEATHER NEGATIVELY AFFECTING COMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS WITH RECURRING NATURAL THREATS, IN ADDITION TO STARVATION AND HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ATLANTIC COAST UME, THERE IS CAUSE FOR MAJOR CONCERN AS THE SPECIES IS CONFRONTED WITH NUMEROUS,COMPOUNDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC STRESSORS THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO MONITOR, RESPOND TO, AND TRANSPORT MANATEES THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY INTERMITTENTLY STAGING FOUR CMA PERSONNEL, ALONG WITH A FULLY EQUIPPED TRANSPORT AND CHASE VEHICLE, AT FWC EAST COAST FIELD LABS FOR A TOTAL OF 20 DAYSDURING STRATEGIC TIMES THROUGHOUT THE 2023 WINTER SEASON KELLY MARTIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF ZOOLOGICAL CARE AT CMA, WILL SERVE AS THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR PI OF THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY, THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS FUNDING TO PURCHASE A MANATEE STRETCHER AND TO COVER FUEL AND PER DIEM COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRAVEL TO FWC EAST COAST FIELD LABS AND TRANSPORT OF MANATEES TO REHABILITATION WHILE STAGED AT FWC FIELD LABS, CMA WILL SUPPORT ITS NETWORK PARTNERS THROUGH ASSISTANCE WITH RESCUES OR RESCUE ATTEMPTS, LIVE ANIMAL TRANSPORTS TOREHABILITATION FACILITIES, RELEASE ASSISTANCE, NECROPSY ASSISTANCE OR CARCASS WORKUPS, AND OTHER TASKS REQUESTED BY FWC