And while the Bond conditions will stipulate new fisheries protected areas and no take zones - Manatee conservationists would like enforcement of no-wake zones.
Tourist Boats along the coast do major damage to the already endangered manatee population.
In 2020 - when tourism was effectively suspended - there were far fewer manatee deaths. But, it going right back up now - and today - Manatee Man Jamal Galvez and his partners erected signs telling the public who to cal in the case of a manatee event:
Jamal Galvez, Program Coordinator, Clearwater Marine Institute
"Tourism is here and we are now seeing Manatee incidents as compared to what we've seen in the last 2 years due to the pandemic, so what we are doing is basically spreading awareness, giving information, making ourselves available to the public so when an incident does occur, the people know who to call and what to do. So the goal is to place these signs across the coast from Belize to Toledo, up the north as well, specifically in the Belize City area in places where we know people congregate along coast and in places where we see manatee incidents occur most predominantly."
Reporter
"What you guys have in terms of Manatee deaths that have been recorded for this year so far?"
Jamal Galvez
"Before the pandemic we've seen Manatee death rates continue to increase rapidly. Just before the pandemic I think the maximum we've collected was around 45 Manatee incidents for the year which was significant consideri8ng the population. Once the pandemic started, we've seen the numbers have gone down drastically from in 2020, we had around 11, currently we are at 9. It's starting to pick up again. yesterday we actually removed a carcass of a large male. That male was a part of our long-term study which we have caught 17 years ago in Gales Point Manatee."
Kennedy Carrillo, C.E.O., Ministry of Blue Economy
"Irresponsible persons out at water driving with these skiffs driving especially in areas where they know very well where the Manatees are and so we call on everyone to keep it in mind."
Michael Novelo, Councillor Responsible for Parks, Belize City Council
"The Belize City Council always assist this organization in any way it can. I think we are the ones who always render the backhoe, if I am not mistaken. So we always support. So when Mr. Galvez called to install these signs, we were hastily ready to do so."
The public is cautioned not to try and help stranded manatees - but to call the experts at the numbers on the signs.
