Broward and Miami-Dade counties 1988-1990 Manatee Distribution Survey Theoretical Flight Path

Aerial distribution surveys are used by marine mammal biologists from FWC and other agencies to determine the seasonal distribution of manatees. Most surveys are conducted from small, four-seat, high-winged airplanes (Cessna 172 or 182) flying at a height of 500-1000 ft at a speed of 70-90 kts. Small helicopters may be used instead of fixed wing aircraft in urban areas or where waters are particularly opaque and hovering may be required. Surveys are flown along a standardized, theoretical flight route, which was designed to cover all likely manatee habitats in the study area. This "theoretical flight path" indicates the area that was covered during each survey, but it may not be the actual flight route flown on every survey. GPS tracklines recorded during surveys may be available for some flights. The survey area includes the southern portion of Palm Beach County, the length of Broward County and the northern half of Dade County. The survey followed the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) from Lake Boca Raton in southern Palm Beach County, southward along the ICW in Broward County and ended at Kings Bay on the northwestern shore of Biscayne Bay in Dade County.