Manatee Resurfaces In Barnegat Bay; Officials Urge Boaters To Be Cautious

A manatee that has been making its way around Barnegat Bay and Point Pleasant Beach popped up at Beaton’s Boatyard in Brick this afternoon, and has officials urging boaters to be careful and watch out for the mammal as they travel the bay.

Staff at the boatyard, just off Mantoloking Road, saw the animal this afternoon and snapped a photo that was shared on the boatyard’s Facebook page.

“If you are out and about on the water near the boatyard please be careful,” the post noted.

The staff also reported the sighting to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, which has been keeping track of the manatee’s location. It is one of at least two, possibly more, manatees that have been seen in New Jersey this summer. A second manatee was seen in the Delaware River in late July, and a manatee was spotted in Great Bay, south of Barnegat Bay, two weeks ago, according to a report on the “Down The Shore” blog on the Newsworks website.

It is unclear whether the manatee seen Tuesday is the same one spotted in Great Bay; it may be the same manatee seen in Point Pleasant Beach two weeks ago, however.

Experts from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center are urging anyone who sees a manatee in Barnegat Bay or other local waters to call the center at 609-266-0538 to report the sightings.

Boaters are urged to exercise caution, especially around marshy areas that manatees favor, to avoid collisions with the mammals.

The manatee is protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal. The large, slow-moving herbivores average 9 to 10 feet long and weigh around 1,000 pounds, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Though found primarily in Florida, manatees do migrate, with some having traveled as far north as Rhode Island. Much of their travel is dependent on water temperature, and officials at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said the summer’s warm ocean temperatures are likely keeping the manatees in the area.

As temperatures begin to dip, the manatees will need to return to southern climes -- or be returned there if necessary, officials told the Asbury Park Press.

Manatees can be difficult to see the water, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They typically only lift their snout out of the water to breathe, and the swirl caused when they dive can be difficult to see in a moving boat.

(This manatee paid a visit to the staff at Beaton’s Boatyard in Brick on Tuesday. Photo used with permission of Beaton’s Boatyard)