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Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

Current status is Endangered.

The FWC received a petition to re-evaluate the status of the Florida manatee in 2001.  A biological assessment following the listing process rules was initiated.  However, a listing moratorium was initiated in 2003 and the listing process rules were changed in April 2005. Please visit our listing process for more information on the listing process moratorium and changes.

Following the new process, a biological status report was completed, reviewed by independent peer reviewers, and presented to the Commission at the June 2006 Commission meeting.  The Commission agreed that reclassification of the Florida manatee from Endangered to Threatened is warranted; however the reclassification will not occur until a management plan for the species is approved. Public comment was sought and incorporated on a draft and again on a revised draft management plan.  Public comment was sought and incorporated on a draft and again on a revised draft management plan.  The Florida manatee management plan was approved at the December 2007 Commission meeting; however, reclassification of the manatee to a threatened species was deferred while staff reviews the imperiled species listing system.

  Below is a link to the petition that was received in 2001 and the Biological Status Report, and the final manatee management plan.

 Petition
Biological Status Report
Listing Related Questions & Answers
Manatee Management Plan
Commission Presentation
Letter from Governor Crist
Statement of Estimated Costs