Lawsuit Launched Over Federal Failure to Protect Manatees in Florida, Puerto Rico

Environmental Advocates Notify U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of Intent to Sue Over Manatee Protections

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Environmental advocates notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today of their intent to sue over the agency’s failure to respond to a request for stronger Endangered Species Act protections for West Indian manatees in Florida and Puerto Rico. The notice was sent by Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Manatee Club, Miami Waterkeeper, and Frank S. González Garcia.

Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 14: Life Below Water
2. Goal 15: Life on Land

Background

• November 2022 petition urged the Service to reclassify West Indian manatees from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
• The Service had 12 months to decide whether uplisting the manatees is warranted, but after 16 months, the agency has yet to issue its finding.
• Re-listing the West Indian manatee as an endangered species would provide greater protections for the imperiled manatees.

Importance of a Positive Finding

• A positive 12-month finding would acknowledge the substantial and intensifying threats to manatees and demonstrate the Service’s commitment to their survival.

Previous Findings

• The Service previously issued a positive 90-day finding indicating that the petition presented substantial information that uplisting may be warranted.
• The agency found that seagrass losses from water pollution may pose a threat to the manatees, warranting protection as an endangered species.

Threats to Manatees

• Manatee deaths have spiked since 2017 when the Service prematurely reduced protections and downlisted manatees to threatened.
• Pollution-fueled algae blooms have caused a seagrass die-off, contributing to unprecedented Florida manatee mortality.
• Water-quality declines and excess nutrient pollution threaten natural warm water sources, leaving manatees dependent on man-made refugia.

Call for Increased Federal Protections

• Environmental advocates urge the Fish and Wildlife Service to act quickly and increase federal protections for West Indian manatees.
• The loss of warm water havens and predicted population declines necessitate planning for the manatees’ future.

Water Pollution and Seagrass Declines

• Unchecked pollution from various sources is fueling the collapse of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida, leading to unprecedented mortality events.

Chronic Exposure to Glyphosate

• A recent study found that more than half of sampled Florida manatees are chronically exposed to glyphosate, a potent herbicide.
• Discharges from Lake Okeechobee containing glyphosate have resulted in higher concentrations in rivers.

Threats to Puerto Rico Manatees

• The Puerto Rico population of manatees faces significant threats to its survival, including low genetic diversity and mortality events.
• Collaboration between all parties of interest is necessary for manatee recovery in Puerto Rico.

Conclusion

• Manatees, originally listed as an endangered species in 1973, have not fully recovered.
• The downlisting of West Indian manatees in 2017 despite ongoing threats has led to increased mortality rates.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water – Protect and restore marine ecosystems and sustainably use marine resources.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
• SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 14.2: Proportion of national exclusive economic zones managed using ecosystem-based approaches.
• Indicator for SDG 15.5: Red List Index, which measures changes in the overall extinction risk of species over time.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: biologicaldiversity.org

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