Is the Service concerned about manatees being injured or killed by blue crab pot fishing gear?
The Service continues to be concerned about blue crab pot fishing gear entangling manatees. While nine manatee deaths are known to have taken place in crab pot fishing gear over the past 30 years, no deaths are known to have taken place since 2002. From 2003 to 2007, 35 manatees have been rescued and disentangled from crab pot gear. Based on this information, the Service does not believe that the number of manatees taken in this fishery has risen to an unacceptable level.
