VERO BEACH — A manatee rescued in July after a watercraft strike was returned to the Indian River Lagoon Sept. 23 at Round Island Riverside Park, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
Barber, a 7.2-foot manatee, was found in July leaning to one side and having trouble submerging after the collision, the FWC said. He weighed about 520 pounds at rescue and 675 pounds at release after a few months of rehabilitation.
The release was carried out by FWC in coordination with SeaWorld Orlando and partners that included Brevard Zoo, FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, the Manatee Center and Indian River County Natural Resources Department.
“So the county has assisted FWC previously with rescues and releases because there is a partnership with FWC with our local office and we support them as needed,” Melissa Meisenburg, senior environmental specialist with Indian River County’s natural resources department, said. “They’ll call upon us if they need to have some eyes or hands in the field here.”
Meisenburg described the county’s role during rescues and releases: “The rescue is done by an FWC boat and they lead it. We’re just there to assist bringing the manatee onto the boat and then getting it safely back to the boat ramp where usually there’s a transport that takes it to whatever facility FWC has determined it will need to go to for evaluation and then any type of medical treatment or rehabilitation.”
She said Round Island is the county’s standard release site because of lower weekday boat traffic and abundant nearby seagrass.
“There’s also a lot of manatees already in the area and there’s ample foraging grounds nearby,” Meisenburg said.
FWC used Barber's return as a reminder for boaters to be vigilant.
“Always remember, go slow and look out below! Look out for circles on the surface and be sure to wear polarized sunglasses to help spot wildlife under the surface when on any watercraft,” the agency said in a statement to Facebook.
Preliminary data from the FWC’s 2025 manatee mortality report show 85 manatees have died from watercraft-related injuries so far this year and the report lists 557 total manatee deaths across causes. The number of watercraft deaths is tied with totals seen in 2021 and outpaces several intervening years.
State officials are also reviewing manatee protection zones in Indian River County for the first time in more than three decades. The FWC is assessing factors such as manatee use, boating activity and waterway conditions and could propose changes to speed limits and no-entry areas.
“FWC is in the early stages of the review and rulemaking process and expect to take any proposed changes to a 2026 FWC Commission Meeting,” Lisa Thompson, an FWC communications specialist, said. “Several zones throughout the county have been identified where changes may be warranted (both an increase or a decrease in manatee protections), and input received from the local community will aid staff in developing a proposal.”
Under the FWC’s process, affected counties have 60 days to form a Local Rule Review Committee to evaluate proposals and provide feedback. Public comment will be accepted throughout the review process.
Barber’s release highlights the ongoing collaboration between state agencies, local officials and rehabilitation partners, and officials say it underscores the importance of reducing boat strikes as manatee populations recover and continue to use nearshore waters.