Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Status for the Florida Manatee and Endangered Status for the Antillean Manatee
Published Date: 1/14/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to update protections for manatees by listing the Florida manatee as threatened and the Antillean manatee as endangered. This change replaces the old West Indian manatee listing and means stronger rules to keep these gentle giants safe. You can share your thoughts by March 17, 2025, and join a public meeting on February 26, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Florida manatee threatened; Antillean endangered
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to list the Florida manatee as a threatened species and the Antillean manatee as an endangered species, replacing the current West Indian manatee listing. The proposal would extend the Endangered Species Act's protections to both subspecies and would list the Florida manatee with protective regulations under section 4(d) (the "blanket 4(d) rule").
Critical habitat revision/designation proposed
The Service notes it recently proposed to revise and/or designate critical habitat for the Florida manatee and Antillean manatee in a separate Federal Register publication (89 FR 78134). If finalized, designation or revision of critical habitat would accompany the listing action and apply the Endangered Species Act's habitat protections to identified areas.
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