Sea To Shore Alliance

RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH & PRODUCTIVITY OF COASTAL ENVIRMONMENTS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES & HUMAN LIVLIHOODS THAT DEPEND ON THEM.

RIGHT WHALE CONSERVATION- THE RIGHT WHALE CONSERVATION PROGRAM THROUGH EDUCATION, PUBLIC ENAGEMENT, AND MONITORING REPRODUCTION AND POPULATION NUMBERS, AIMS TO REDUCE RISKS AND UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPECIES DECLINE. OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE EXTENSIVE AERIAL SURVEYS OVER ONLY KNOWN CALVING AREA IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, PRODUCING AND DISSEMINATING EDUCATION MATERIALS, SCIENTIFIC INPUT AND SPONSORING AN ANNUAL RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL THAT ATTRACTS THE PUBLIC TO LEARN ABOUT THESE PLIGHT OF THESE WHALES WHILE HAVING AN ENJOYABLE FAMILY EXPERIANCE.

MANATEE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PARTNERSHIP (MRP)- EACH YEAR MANY MANATEES ARE INJURED OR BECOME SICK AND MUST BE RESCUED AND TREATED AT CRITICAL CARE FACILITIES SUCH AS SEAWORLD OF FLORIDA, JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND MIAMI SEAQUARIUM. EXPOSURE TO RED TIDE, COLD TEMPERATURES AND DISEASE ARE ALL NATURAL PROBLEMS THAT CAN AFFECT MANATEES. MAN-MADE THREATS INCLUDE BOAT COLLISIONS, CRUSHING BY FLOODGATES OR LOCKS AND ENTANGLEMENT IN OR INGESTION OF FISHING GEAR. SEA TO SHORE ALLIANCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SATELLITE TRACKING AND MONITORING RESCUED, REHABILITATED AND RELEASED MENATEES INTO THE WILD. BY DOING SO, WE HELP TO ENSURE THEIR WELL-BEING AND THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT IS USED TO IMPROVE PROTOCALS AND PRE-RELEASE TRAINING OF MANATEES TO IMPROVE THIER CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IN THE WILD.

BELIZE- IN 1997, DR. JAMES "BUDDY" POWELL AND SEVERAL COLLEGUES FOUNDED THE BELIZE MANATEE CONSERVATION PROJECT. BELIZE HAS THE HIGHEST KNOWN DENSITY OF ANTILLEAN MANATEES, A SUBSPECIES OF THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE, IN THE WORLD. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF RAPIDLY INCREASING COASTAL DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN-RELATED MANATEE DEATHS ARE RISING QUICKLY, MAINLY IN THE FORM OF BOAT STRIKES. IN SEVERAL KEY MANATEE DEATHS, OUR TEMA EDUCATES TOUR-BOAT OPERATORS THROUGH BOATER SAFETY WORKSHOPS, POSTS BOAT SPEED RESTRICTION SIGNS, CONDUCTS PATROLS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, AND IMPLAMENTS PUBLIC OUTREACH AT SCHOOLS. LASTLY, OUR SCIENTISTS CONDUCT AN ANNUAL SATELLITE-TRACKING EFFORT TO COLLECT RESEARCH ON THE ANTILLEAN MANATEE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE LONGEST LONGITUDE STUDY OF THIS SPECIES OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA. DATA FROM THIS PROJECT IS PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE TO FURTHER PROTECTION MEASURES FOR THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE AND HALT ANY UNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT MAY ENDANGER CRITICAL HABITAT.

CUBA, EDUCATION, FESTIVALS, MARINE DEBRIS PROJECT, MANATEE MONITORING, MANATEE REHAB AND RESCUE, MANATEE RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION,NESTS, PHOTO ID, PROTECT FLORIDA SPRINGS EDUCATION, SEA TURTLE LIGHTING, AND TAGGING SUPPLIES.