Dean Ferry

All you Charlotte Co. Boaters, BEWARE of this;

SMC Charlotte County Recommendations


Since record keeping began in 1974, Charlotte County has the tenth highest number of manatee deaths due to watercraft (38 total). THIRTY-ONE of those 38 deaths (81 percent) have occurred since 1990.

There are four primary areas where Save the Manatee Club is recommending that the manatee protection recommendations need to be strengthened.

Peace River – This is the deadliest Charlotte County waterbody for manatees, with thirty-eight percent (14) of the watercraft-related manatee deaths occurring here. Save the Manatee Club recommends the following:
North of the I-75 bridge, including Shell Creek: Slow Speed.
Between the I-75 bridge and the U.S. 41 Bridge: 25 MPH in the channel, Slow Speed outside the channel.
The U.S. 41 bridge to the mouth of the Peace River: ¼ mile Slow Speed buffer, 25 MPH outside of Slow Speed buffer.
Lemon Bay – This is a high use manatee area and a deadly waterway for manatees because of collisions with boats. It is a high use manatee travel corridor, as well as a waterway where they feed, breed and calve. Save the Manatee Club recommends the following:
25 MPH in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).
Slow Speed outside of the ICW.
Turtle Bay – This is a high use manatee area where manatees feed, especially at the southeast entrance, as shown by aerial survey data. No manatees whose deaths are watercraft-related have been recovered here. Because of the high use of this area by manatees for feeding, the high use by boaters, and relatively shallow water depths, Save the Manatee Club recommends the following:
Southern portion of Turtle Bay in the shoal area: Motorboats prohibited.
Southeast corner of Turtle Bay outside of the shoal area: Slow Speed in the channels to the east and west of the shoal system to allow motorboat access to the bay.
Western shoreline of Turtle Bay: 300 foot Slow Speed buffer.
Eastern shoreline of Turtle Bay: 500 foot Slow Speed buffer, 25 MPH outside of buffers.
Pirate Harbor – Aerial survey data show this to be an area of higher manatee use than many other areas of the County. Save the Manatee Club recommends Slow Speed in the Pirate Harbor area.
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All these deals will be made behind closed doors in Tallahassee, if you don't get involved. Just trying to help out my OSO brothers in Char. Co.
MD