Manatees dying in droves as poor water quality, sea grass losses lead to starvation

It’s turning out to be a deadly year for Florida manatees. 

More sea cow deaths have been documented through the first two months of the year than were recorded during those same two months in 2019 and 2020 combined, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records. 

Three hundred and seventeen manatee deaths occurred through Feb. 12. 

Former FWC commissioner Ron Bergeron said he thought the number was closer to 350 sea cows. 

Manatee advocates confirmed the die-off, saying it’s another example of poor water quality.  

“It’s something we’ve never really seen before,” said Pat Rose, director of the Save the Manatee Club. “It looks like we have a substantial number of manatees that are starving.” 

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Rose commended FWC for working through the mortality event while also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. 

But the truth, he said, is “manatees are dying,” he said. “There’s no denying that, and it all starts with water quality.” 

The past five-year average shows 100 documented deaths each year, with about eight perinatal deaths. 

The current rate puts the state on pace to record more than 2,100 deaths this year, which could be as much as a third of the state’s documented population. 

Boat kills and cold stress deaths are also being tallied, as usual, along the Gulf Coast, from the Sarasota area south to Everglades City, according to FWC records. 

But the Indian River Lagoon is suffering, accounting for the majority of losses. 

The theory is that sea grass losses there the past few decades have left manatees with too little food to survive. 

“It’s disgusting,” said Indian Riverkeeper Mike Conner. “I thought about it and talked to the guides and they fully believe it’s a case of starvation.”

It’s another example of a state that’s increasingly dealing with water quality issues, from blue-green algae to red tide and brown algae, Conner said. 

Inshore fishing guides have seen the deaths, and they think it’s related to bad water. 

“The raw truth of the matter is due to negligence of our stormwater we’ve had continual algal blooms over the past 10 years, which blocks out sea grass and kills it,” said Indian River Lagoon guide Billy Rotne. “So the manatees are starving to death.”

FWC had no comment as of Wednesday afternoon. 

“It’s uncomfortable for agencies to talk about,” Rotne said. “There’s no food up here. We’ve had an entire ecological loss. Look on Google Earth. It’s gone. All the meaningful acreage of sea grass they depend upon is gone.” 

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FWC commissioners meet today and Friday, when the catch-and-release restrictions on snook, trout and redfish and the addition of the black rail to the state’s endangered and threatened species list will be considered. 

The catch-and-release regulations started in the wake of a devastating red tide bloom, which ravaged the Southwest Florida coast – particularly Lee County – during a 16-month period that spanned from the fall of 2017 until the spring of 2019. 

Connect with this reporter: Chad Gillis on Twitter.