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Tuesday marks the start of the annual manatee migration season in Florida, which runs through March.
"That designates when the manatees are most likely to begin their migration further to South Florida and to other warm water refuges throughout the state."
Rachel Shanker, Conservation Liaison and Educator with FPL's Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach, says boaters will start seeing more of the mammals and urges you to obey the speed zones and wear polarized sunglasses that make it easier to spot the manatees in the water.
Recycling is also imperative.
"The good old 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,' dispose of your trash properly. Make sure none of that is getting into our waterways, which will protect the manatees as well as all of the other marinelife."
After a record number of 1,101 deaths last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says 734 manatees have so far died in 2022. The dying-off of sea grass is the main reason for the deaths.
And Brevard County, home of the Indian River Lagoon, accounts for nearly 400 of those mortalities.
Manatee Lagoon is hosting it's 2022 Manatee Season Kick-Off event this weekend.