Sen. Bill Nelson aims to provide more protection for Florida manatees

An email from Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson’s campaign team signed by Nelson mourning the loss of Snooty the manatee also announced a new bill introduced by the senator.

On Aug. 3, Nelson introduced a bill “to authorize research and recovery activities to provide for the protection, conservation, and recovery of the Florida manatee, and for other purposes.”

Senate bill 1747 has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce and Science, and Transportation, according to the Congress legislation website. As of Friday, a text of Nelson’s bill has not yet been received, according to the Congress legislation website.

“The outpouring of support that we’ve seen in the wake of Snooty’s tragic death shows just how beloved these gentle giants are. Yet despite the constant threats these iconic creatures continue to face throughout our state, the federal government has removed them from the endangered species list,” an email from Nelson for U.S. Senate said. “Florida’s manatees are a special part of our state’s heritage, and I believe we should continue to protect them.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the Florida manatees were reclassified from endangered to threatened on March 30, citing habitat improvements and a growing population.

This story was originally published August 12, 2017 at 11:47 AM with the headline "Sen. Bill Nelson aims to provide more protection for Florida manatees."