The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is collecting public comment on the use of “population goals,” that define manatee recovery. The agency uses the “population goals” to determine and establish manatee-protection zones say’s the commission’s Henry Cabbage.

“Manatee recovery is more of a process then a stationary target. The conditions change out there. But full recovery would be when the manatee population is equal to what the habitat is capable of supporting. Bottom-line is if we can get them recovered well enough that they would no longer be an imperiled species, then that would be a resounding success.”

The public can make comments at: my FWC.com. Commissioners, also voted to re-establish state manatee protection zones in Lee County’s southern Matlacha Pass. They also re-established zones in other areas through out the county including Estero Bay, northern Matlacha Pass, Pine Island Sound, San Carlos Bay and the Caloosahatchee River. The state zones become effective in a few months.