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40 CJ Indian River County Manatee Protection and I3onting Safety Con"prehenslve Management Plan Personal Watercraft PWC have become increasingly popular in recent years, A PWC is defined by the USCG as a Class "A" vessel (i.e. less than 16 feet) powered by an inboard motor, A PWC is operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on the vessel, as opposed to inside the vessel. The number of registered PWC in the state increased by I8 percent between 1994 and 1995, becoming the fastest growing segment of the maritime industry. FMP statistics indicate that PWC comprise eight (8) percent of registered watercraft, and were involved in 38 percent of all accidents reported statewide in 1995. Between 1991 and 1995, injuries and accidents attributed to PWC increased statewide by lib percent and 168 percent, respectively. In Indian River County, PWC operators were responsible for five (5) of the 11 reportable boating accidents (45 per cent), and three (3) out of the five (5) (60 per cent) injuries reported in 1995. As previously mentioned, the proliferation of PWC vessels is likely to reverse the trend exhibited in recent years towards fewer accidents and injuries for all types of vessels. PWC safety is an important issue, especially since PWC are responsible for a disproportionate number of boating accidents. Concerns about safety include PWC conflicts relating to operation in high traffic and multi -use areas, "buzzing" or jumping the wakes of larger boats, and other reckless practices referred to as "hotdogging" (weaving in and out of boat traffic). Fecklessness can mostly be attributed to "second tier users (i.e. inexperienced operators that have borrowed or rented a PWC). In fact, 46 percent of all accidents attributed to PWC statewide involved PWC that were rented and/or were operated by users with less than 20 hours of experience. Nuisance is another common complaint directed toward PWC operators. Noise level for PWCs averages 70 decibels (dB), and due to their design characteristics, PWCs can operate in shallow water areas near the shore, exacerbating noise levels. Additionally, significant impacts to the IRI., including damage to SAV (a critical manatee habitat and food source), increased suspended sediment and stress to wildlife, are the result of shallow water operation. Designation of Speed Zones In 1992, Indian River County, in cooperation with the FDEP Division of Marine Resources, Bureau of Protected Species Management, established boating speed zones throughout the IRL and St. Sebastian River. These speed zones were subsequently adopted by the Governor and Cabinet. The primary purpose of speed zones is manatee protection. Nevertheless, boating safety benefits occur from having the zones. Figure 5 depicts the existing speed zones in the IRL. Community Development Department Page 27