Hurricanes May Have Spared Manatees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- The fury of four hurricanes in Florida may have spared the state's endangered manatee population from further decline.

The annual report by the state Fish and Wildlife Research Institute shows deaths statewide fell to 276 in 2004 from 370 recorded in 2003.

"One theory is the four hurricanes that affected the state this year means we had less boating activity," said Tom Pitchford, a biologist with the research institute. "Fewer boats on the water means fewer manatees struck."

The total manatee death rate spiked in 2003 because of an aquatic phenomenon called a red tide event. It's caused by an unpredictable algae bloom that can sicken and kill sea life when it is ingested.

In 2003, the red tide event killed about 96 manatees. Otherwise, the 2003 death rate would have been closer to the total in 2004.

Garbage!

The difference in the deaths was the lack of a red-tide kill in 2004. Boating was interrupted for less than a week as the cumulative result of all four hurricanes.

The Florida eco-freaks have tried to regulate boating, who owns boats, what type of boats can be owned, where you can keep your boat, where you can anchor or moore your boat, what waters you may operate in and a multitude of other asinine specious rules and regulations.

This is simply more of their unsupported clap-trap.

Manatee ARE good eating. A biologist, who once worked with me at the Institute, had previously worked at RASMAS doing marine mammal necropsies.

When a manatee insisted on surfacing directly under a 54' yacht holding position off a fuel dock, it was sooooo stupid that it waited for the once in every few minutes moment when the engines were turning the props for a few seconds to correct for a slight wind drift.

Having taken a blade through the head, it then drifted out and Dempsey was notified via a series of calls and a radio link to pick up Mr. Manatee for necropsy.

Since it was winter, and a cold day, Mr. Manatee was being necropsies in less than 45 minutes after its demise. Prime meat - and some 40 pounds was either cooked or frozen for later taste testing. Unanimous decision - manatee are dumb but delicious.

If we can get rid of the Endangered Species Act, manatee could be farmed.

One more thing, the FloriDUH population of manatee is now approaching (if it hasn't already exceeded) the carrying capacity of the sesgrass beds. Manatee eat a prodigious amount of seagrass. And void a responding amount of manatee exhaust.

Meanwhile, back in the Sheeples Republic of FloriDUH, the Armed & Rangerous are ticketing boaters whose prop happens to inadvertently cut any seagrass; they can even confiscate boats for such "criminal acts". The biologists in the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) must govern their behavior according to the agency "hymnal" - and that is the term used by Mr. Cabbage. He is the FWCC chief publicity flack.

Honest! He did use that exact term and that is his name. And agenda is his game.

Suggestion: Eat more manatee - accompanied with cole slaw, of course.

And at the rate Mr. Cabbage is accumulating self inflicted cuts, the price of cole slaw in FloriDUH should reach an all time low. Pun intended. ;)

Mr. Cabbage's comments are available online at www.evergladesinstitute.org should anyone wish to verify Mr. Cabbage's self inflicted cuts. Just look up the leaked documents posted by teh Institute.

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