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• • • Method 4 (Combination of actual and goal mortality) Reviewin2- Entities Recommendations: the SMC opposes this method. FWC does not oppose this method, but it is not FWC's preferred method. County staff recommends that the Board adopt this method. MANWAC has not considered this alternative, which is a modification of the method (Method 3) that MANWAC supports. To resolve the problem with Method 3, which does not account for the County's manatee mortality goal, county staff supports this combination of Methods 2 and 3. This combination method ("Method 4") uses actual proportionate annual average mortality dating back to 1993 to assess the current status of high watercraft -related mortality. However, Method 4 uses the one -manatee death per year countywide average from hereon out, into the future. What this combination approach accomplishes (that the other methods don't) is that it does not punish riparian landowners for what has happened in the past, but it does set reasonable limits on development in the future to promote the County's goal of keeping watercraft -related manatee deaths to a minimum. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners foiuially adopt the following revisions to the MPP: 1. Replace the current "high manatee watercraft -related mortality" calculation with Method 4 described herein; and 2. Revise the four -foot water depth requirement as set forth in Attachment 4. ATTACHMENTS 1. 12/19i01 letter from the FWC commenting on proposed revisions to the MPP 2. Altemative methods for calculating "high watercraft -related manatee mortality" 3. Table summarizing implications of alti,rnative manatee mortality calculation methods 4. Proposed revised four -foot depth requirement language 5. 11/20/0 BCC minutes excerpt The Chairman opened the public hearing and asked if anyone wished to be heard in this matter. City of Sebastian Mayor Walter Barnes speaking for himself and not the City Council, thought this was a good project and would be good for business in Sebastian. He questioned the mortality calculations. He supported Method 4, which he felt was fair, and suggested that if the mortality rate increases, the plan could always be revised in the future. Mike Keefer, speaking as a resident of the County and as a member of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast and the State of Florida, complimented staff's January 15, 2002 37