Manatees in danger as boaters speed through Fort Myers Beach no-wake areas

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK)— Concerns are growing about high-speed boaters ignoring no-wake rules in manatee zones near Fort Myers Beach.

Locals say some boaters are disregarding posted restrictions, putting wildlife and other boaters at risk. WINK News meteorologist Andrew Shipotofsky went to Bowditch Point to investigate the issue.

"These boats that are going real fast all the way around the corner...they are hitting these manatees occasionally right here," said Ranger Rob Howell with Keep It Wild.

Howell is on Fort Myers Beach almost every day and says he watches boaters completely ignore the no-wake zone at Matanzas Pass. The marker at Matanzas Pass separates the open waters of the Gulf from the manatee slow zone.

"A lot of these big boats will throw their wake behind them," Howell said. "Just the other week, we had someone flip their boat."

"You are responsible for your wake; the problem is you are long gone before you can see the damage you have done," he said.

For Howell, this is personal. He regularly helps with manatee rescues and is concerned that this activity can harm the species and destroy their habitat.

"And people fly through here chopping up that sea grass," Howell said. "And when there are manatees, dolphins, sea turtles—these animals don't have anywhere to go down to get away from these boats if they even hear them coming."

Captain Jon Cassidy with Big Tiki Tours runs 90-minute tours through Matanzas Pass and says he regularly deals with high-speed boaters. His tours take passengers through the back bay behind Estero Island, where they encounter dolphins, manatees, stingrays, and turtles.

"This time of year, it's a heightened lack of knowledge we will say," Cassidy said. "Some people don't understand what no wake means."

Cassidy says the wake from some of these boaters shakes his tiki cruise, creating a safety issue for passengers. But that's only part of his concerns.

"The wildlife is at the worst risk, you know," Cassidy said. "We will figure it out if we crash, but if they prop strike a manatee or dolphin, that could be fatal."

WINK News observed boaters clearly speeding through a no-wake zone at Bowditch Point. The Lee County Sheriff's Office was also seen patrolling the waters.

Deputies say they are aware of high-speed boaters in the area and said deputies within their Marine Unit have increased patrols to monitor vessel speeds, ensure compliance with posted restrictions, and educate boaters on environmental and marine life safety.

"Look, we love law enforcement; they are busy, they have stuff to do, but we would like to see more of them," Howell said.