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Environment Studies
- Letter: Manatees & Personal Watercraft (2007) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
R. Kipp Frhlich, Section Leader, Imperiled Species Management Section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Letter to Hopping Green & Sams stating that there have been no manatee deaths attributed to personal watercraft.
- Buffer
Zone Distances to Protect Foraging and Loafing Waterbirds
from Disturbance by Personal Watercraft in Florida (2000)
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Thirty-nine species of waterbirds were exposed to the rapid
approach of personal watercraft (PWC) and an outboard powered
boat to determine the flushing distances to these two watercraft.
Only one species exhibited significantly larger flush distances
to the approach of a PWC, whereas five species exhibited
significantly larger flush distances to the approach of
the outboard powered boat. Eleven species exhibited no difference
in flush distance between PWC and the outboard powered boat.
This data suggests that a uniform buffer zone should be
established for both PWC and outboard-powered vessels.
- Letter:
Manatees & Personal Watercraft (1999) David Arnold,
Bureau of Protected Species Management, Florida Department
of Environmental Protection
Letter to Congressman Weldon stating that there have been
no manatee deaths attributed to personal watercraft.
- Sworn
Affidavit of Dr. James Rodgers, Wildlife Biologist for the
Sate of Florida (1998)
Dr. Rodgers concludes that buffer zones are sufficient to
protect wading bird colonies from human disturbance, whether
it be on foot, vehicle, or boat.
- Effects
of Motorboats and Personal Watercraft on Flight Behavior
Over a Colony of Common Terns (1998)
Joanna Burger, Rutgers University
- Effects
of Personal Watercraft Operation on Shallow-Water Seagrass
Communities in the Florida Keys (1997) Continental
Shelf Associates
Study shows that personal watercraft have no effect on sea
grass when operated in depths of 2 feet or more, as recommended
by the manufacturers.
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