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C`-] 4W 40 Indian River County Manatee Protection and lioating Safety Coiuprehensive Management Pian EXISTING CONDITIONS INTRODUCTION Indian River County is located on the cast coast of Florida in the Treasure Coast Region. The county is bounded by Brevard County on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, St. Lucie County on the south and Osceola and Okeechobee counties on the west. Along the west coast of Indian River County's 22.4 mile barrier island lies the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), an estuary of national significance. This estuarine system is reported as being one of the most diverse estuaries in North America, and is home to one of the largest concentrations of Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latilostris) in Florida. In 1985, an interagency team headed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) developed a Florida Manatee Recovery Plan (FMRP). On October 24, 1989, the Governor and Cabinet approved the recommendation submitted by the Florida Department of Natural Resources [now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)] to protect the manatee and its habitat, and to increase boating safety in the state's waterways. Thirteen "key" counties, including Indian River County, were identified, and directed by the Govemor and Cabinet to develop comprehensive management plans to reduce manatee mortality and enhance boating safety. The purpose of the Indian River County Manatee Protection and Boating Safety Comprehensive Management Plan (MPBSCMP) is to establish a strategy that equitably balanecs manatee protection, habitat preservation, and boating safety with commercial and recreational marine interests. The principal focus of this effort is the identification and implementation of protection and management practices necessary to ensure the recovery and protection of the Florida Manatee's population, The existing conditions section of this plan identifies and describes "high use" manatee areas, manatee habitat, natural resource constraints, boat use and traffic patterns, existing marinaslboat facilities, manatee legislation and protection, and boating safety issues. The analysis section identifies potential boat facility sites, and establishes criteria for the siting and expansion of existing boat facilities based on the previously mentioned issues. Boat facilities demand and proposed amendments to speed zones are also discussed in the analysis section. The goal, objectives, and policies address the issues identified in the analysis section. Definitions Following are the definitions for use in this plan Aquaculture: any activity devoted to the hatching, raising, and breeding of fish, aquatic plants or animals for sale or personal use. Boat: a vehicle designed for operation as a watercraft propelled by oars, sails, or one or more internal combustion engine(s). A boat shall not be considered as a recreational vehicle even though it has facilities for temporary living quarters. Community Development Department Page I