VERO BEACH — Florida wildlife officials are proposing to relax boat speed limits in several former manatee gathering areas along the Indian River Lagoon, a move that would mark the first substantial overhaul of the county’s protection zones in more than 20 years.
The changes, set for a vote next week, intend to align restrictions with updated data on where the endangered sea cows are actually congregating, but they’ve drawn criticism from conservationists worried about increased risks to the animals.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to vote Feb. 5 on the amendments, which would adjust rules in Indian River County waterways last revised in 2002. Manatee sightings have dropped in some spots to as low as 0.5 per flight, based on aerial surveys from 2019. The proposal shifts protections to focus on current travel corridors and foraging grounds while easing curbs elsewhere…