Alternative Text Description for FWC Manatee Protection Zones

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays FWC Manatee Protection Zones throughout coastal Florida. The map shows designated areas where manatee protection regulations apply as defined in the Florida Administrative Code Chapter 68C-22. These protection zones are distributed along Florida's coastline and appear as distinct areas marked in coral-colored patterns, highlighting locations where special protections are in place for manatees.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida, from Jacksonville in the northeast to Miami in the southeast, and from the Tampa Bay area on the west coast to Cape Coral and Naples on the southwest coast. Major cities labeled include Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Cape Coral, Naples, Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Port St. Lucie along the east coast. The map also shows coastal communities such as Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, Titusville, Melbourne, Homosassa Springs, and the Keys region. Lake Okeechobee is visible in the south-central portion of the state. The map encompasses both the Atlantic Ocean coastline on the east and the Gulf of America on the west, extending far enough to show the full extent of Florida's manatee protection zone network.

KEY INSIGHTS

Manatee protection zones are exclusively concentrated along Florida's coastal areas, with no protection zones appearing in the state's interior. The densest concentration of protection zones occurs along the eastern Atlantic coast, forming a nearly continuous corridor from Jacksonville south through Daytona Beach, the Space Coast area near Titusville and Melbourne, and extending down to Miami. The west coast shows protection zones clustered around Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, with additional concentrations near Homosassa Springs, Cape Coral, and Naples. Notable gaps in protection zones appear along portions of the Panhandle coast and in some central coastal segments. The spatial pattern suggests protection zones are strategically placed in areas where manatees are most likely to inhabit or travel, particularly near major population centers and warm-water sources along both coasts.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

FWC Manatee Protection Zones

This layer represents legally designated areas where Florida manatee protection regulations are enforced.

FWC Manatee Protection Zones (coral-colored crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The protection zones are depicted with a coral or salmon-pink color and appear to have a crosshatch or diagonal line pattern overlay. The zones vary in size and shape, appearing as irregular polygons that follow coastal features.

Distribution:

Protection zones are distributed along both the Atlantic and Gulf of America coastlines. The eastern coastline has more continuous coverage, while the western coast shows clusters around specific areas. No protection zones appear in inland or central Florida locations.

Notable locations:

Significant concentrations appear near Jacksonville, along the Daytona Beach to Titusville corridor, around Cape Coral and the Charlotte Harbor area, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan region including St. Petersburg and Clearwater, near Homosassa Springs on the Nature Coast, and extending along the southeast coast from West Palm Beach through Miami. The southern tip of Florida and the Keys region also shows protection zone coverage.

Spatial patterns:

Protection zones follow the coastline and appear to cluster around river mouths, inlets, bays, and harbors where manatees naturally congregate. Many zones are located near urban coastal areas, suggesting protection in areas with high boat traffic. The zones create a discontinuous but strategically distributed network along Florida's 1,350-mile coastline, with denser coverage on the east coast than the west coast.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents state of Florida manatee protection zones only and may differ from manatee protection zones created by city or county authorities and/or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The GIS data set was developed to spatially represent the manatee protection areas for general reference purposes. In the event of any conflict between this visual representation and the zones as described in the Florida Administrative Code, the written descriptions in the FAC shall prevail. The map focuses on the thematic layer of manatee protection zones and does not emphasize other geographic features except for spatial reference.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data represents the State of Florida manatee protection areas as officially described in the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) Chapter 68C-22. The GIS data set was developed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to spatially represent these legally defined manatee protection areas.

Data source layer name: MANATEE_ZONES_MAY25

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied. The map shows all manatee protection zones in the source dataset.

Scale Information:

The map displays a statewide view of Florida, showing protection zones at a scale appropriate for understanding the overall distribution pattern across the entire state. Individual zone boundaries and detailed features within zones are not visible at this scale.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data set file name indicates a May 2025 version (MAY25), suggesting the data represents manatee protection zones as of May 2025.

Limitations:

This GIS data set is intended for general reference only and should not be used as the authoritative source for legal boundary determinations. The official legal descriptions in the Florida Administrative Code take precedence over this spatial representation. These state protection zones may differ from local or federal manatee protection designations. Users should consult the FAC Chapter 68C-22 for precise legal descriptions and current regulations.

Map Coverage:

The map covers the entire state of Florida and adjacent coastal waters where manatee protection zones are designated. The extent includes all of peninsular Florida from the Georgia border in the north to the Florida Keys in the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Gulf of America on the west.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.