Town moves to protect manatees

Nature lovers in Miami Lakes have been delighted by seeing manatees in three lakes in the northern section of town, and have posted photos of the sea cows on social media.
But the peaceful, slow-moving vegetarians that swim in Loch Doon, Loch Ness and Lake Ruth are vulnerable to mariners who are speeding, Councilman Luis Collazo said.
In a memo to the town council, Collazo wrote that the waterways are “the only lake system in the town which connects to Biscayne Bay and is home to manatees and other wildlife.”
Collazo lives with his family in the Windmill Gate community near Lake Ruth.
He said residents in his neighborhood as well as those in the communities of Loch Ness and Celebration Point have complained about boaters and operators of personal watercraft riding in ways that jeopardize wildlife and personal property.
During the April 21 municipal meeting, the council unanimously approved Collazo’s request for signs that warn those on the waterways that they were in no wake zones and manatee zones.
Town Manager Edward Pidermann said parts of those waterways were within town jurisdiction.

Town officials will have to coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about whether their officers would be able to enforce any new town ordinances, Pidermann said.
Collazo said the idea was to educate private property owners and to protect wildlife.
If the plan goes forward, the town may install buoys with signs in the three lakes and at the Miami Lakes marina in Optimist Park.

A manatee in the Crystal River on Florida’s west coast. Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish & Wildlife
Conservation Commission.