Miami-Dade County takes steps to ensure manatee protection during the Miami International Boat Show

As preparations are underway for the Miami International Boat Show to take place between February 16-20, 2022, the Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) within the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources is working proactively to ensure that the event organizers follow the permitting conditions they are required to comply with and to monitor any impacts to manatees.

DERM is conducting regular site inspections and is in frequent contact with the event organizers as they build the show’s temporary docks and will also be on site during the show to observe activities and provide guidance as necessary.

Last year, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved a modification on the Boat Show’s Class I permit to conduct sea trials at the current location for the 2022 boat show event. As specified in the BCC approval and the Class I permit, all of the Boat Show activities, including construction and demolition, are authorized to occur within a 45-day window between January 17 and March 3, 2022. The authorization also requires that DERM submit a report documenting any impacts to manatees during the show for the BCC’s future consideration.

The conditions of the County’s Class I Permit require the Permittee (Miami International Boat Show) to comply with additional manatee protection measures beyond the standard manatee conditions for all works in tidal waters including the following:

• The Permittee is required to provide manatee observers on each sea trial vessel.
• Make all staff associated with the show responsible for documenting and notifying the management of any manatees spotted in the vicinity of the show.
• Provide aerial manatee observers by either helicopter or drone.
• All in-water activities are required to cease (including sea trials) upon the notification of DERM, law enforcement or the designated manatee observers that manatees are located proximal to the show.

Additional measures DERM is taking to monitor the Boat Show include:

• Having biologists/inspectors onsite in at least one vessel, for the duration of the show and will have at least two staff members landside to ensure that the permit conditions are adhered to.
• Coordinating with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) and Miami-Dade Police Department Marine Patrol to provide additional law enforcement during the show including air support and additional law enforcement vessels.
• Making sure that the sea trial vessels are adhering to the conditions of the permit, including adhering to the approved travel routes and displaying the correct signage identifying each of the sea trial vessels. DERM will also require the sea trial vessels to document all travel during the show in logs and to submit the sea trial logs within seven days after the completion of the show.

Miami-Dade County invites the public to report any related issues of concern to DERM by calling 305-372-6955; emailing [email protected]; or online at www.tinyurl.com/baywatch305.