STARVATION DUE TO LACK OF FOOD. MANATEERE A AMONG FLORIDA’S MOST POPULAR SEA CREATURES. THERE ARE TOURIST PARKS DEDICADTE TO THE GENTLE GIANTS BUT A LACK OF FOOD IS NOW ALCHLENGING AND ALREADY THREATENED POPULATION. WE’VE HAD 957 MANEEAT DEATHS THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND DUE TO THAT EAST COAST EVENT. THIS IS A RECORD LEVEL OF MORTALITY GIL MCRAE IS DIRECTOR OF FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND SPOKE THIS WEEK BEFORE THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL. RESOURCES APPROPRIATION SUBCOMMITTEE ASKING FOR SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR HISTORICALLY MANATEES HAVE DIED FROM COLD STRESS RED TIDE IN BOAT ACCIDENTS THIS YEAR ADVOCATES ATTRIBUTEHE T MAJORITY OF DEATHS TO STARVATION DUE TO LOSS OF SEAGRASS INHE T INDIAN RIVER LAGOON THE PRIMARY MANATEE FEEDING GROUND. THE’E'S BEEN A 58% LOSS OF SEAGRASS AND IT CAN TAKE A LONG TIME FOR TSEHO BEDS TO COME BACK IN PAST YEARS. WE’VE LOST SEA GRASS, BUT WE’VE HAD MACRO ALGAE SEAWEED. AVAILABLE FOR MANATEES TO EAT. THE CURRENT SITUAONTI IS WE DON’T HAVE LARGE ACRGEEA OF EITHER RIGHT NOW WASTE AND STORM WATER RUNOFF HAVE CREATED ALGAE OOMSBL THAT REDUCE WATER QUALITY KILLING THE SEAGRASS. THE SITUATION IS SO DIRE. FWC IS CONSIDERING THE UNTHINKABLE WHETHER OR NOT TO DO SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING FOR MANATEES. IT’S WELL KNOWN FEEDING. WILDLIFE TYPICALLY DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD. BUT OFFICIALS SAY THE CURRENT MANATEE CRISIS MAY BE EXCEPTION ACCORDING TO FWC THE MONEYOULD W OF COURSE BE USED TO RESTORE MANATEE HABITAT, BUT ALSO TO EXPAND THE MANATEE CRITICAL CARE NETWORK FWCOULD W LIKE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES TO CARE FOR INJUD