This Coming Labor Day is Also International Manatee Day

BRADENTON – This Labor Day will see a large increase in boating over Florida's rivers and lakes, and with that traffic increase comes greater danger to manatees. Coincidentally, this year's Labor Day also happens to fall under the same date as International Manatee Day, providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the risk that reckless boating behavior creates for the state's sea cows.

Save the Manatee Club, a nonprofit conservation organization founded by Jimmy Buffet and former Sen. Bob Graham, is preparing for the weekend by asking boaters to request some of the free materials that the club produces, such as yellow boating banners that encourage care and slow speeds.

In a statement, club executive director Patrick Rose said, "We have received thousands of requests for outreach materials over the years and have provided free signage to dock owners, municipalities, and county governments to raise manatee awareness.“

To receive the club's free materials, call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646), email education@savethemanatee.org, or make a regular mail request to 500 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL, 32751. In addition, a free app for iPhones and iPads that alerts boaters of approaching manatee speed zones and assists in reporting injured manatees and illegal behavior toward the creatures can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/15EYen6.