Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: North Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The proposed project is designed to assist the US Fish and Wildlife to identify and provide the scientific basis to propose manatee protections areas in accordance with federal regulations. As such, this project addresses core recommendations made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 5-year evaluation (USFWS 2007). The expected benefit of this measure is to foster the persistence of the species in the Caribbean through habitat conservation. The proposed project will consist of two phases. The first will be to identify and articulate the fundamental objectives and a portfolio of management options available to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and collaborating conservation agencies. These tasks will be accomplished through a participatory process or workshops. The second phase will consist of synthesis of information, using models when appropriate, to assess the impact of various alternatives and highlight those with most support. The results of this process will be transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for review, decision making and subsequent course of action.