Welcome to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
and the Kings Bay Manatee Refuge You are among the thousands of yearly visitors
privileged to enter our natural springs, home of the Florida manatee.
Your awareness of our rules and recommendations is essential to the protection of manatees
and their ecosystem.
It is your responsibility to learn and understand these rules prior to recreating in the Refuge.
Between November and April, Kings Bay is home to the largest aggregation
of manatees in a natural environment in the world.
To protect manatees from harm, harassment and disturbance,
the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge and Manatee Sanctuaries were created in parts
of Kings Bay.
In addition, all of Kings Bay has been designated as a federal manatee protected area
with special manatee protection regulations in place year-round
The Florida manatee is protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978.
Violations of these statutes may result in fines of up to $100,000 and/or 1 year in jail.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service recommends that all visitors practice passive observation
when viewing manatees.
Passive observation means calmly observing manatees from a distance
and from the surface of the water, and not initiating any contact with the manatee.
In addition to practicing passive observation, visitors should not approach manatees, particularly
those found resting.
During the winter months, manatees come to the springs to stay warm,
and spend the majority of their time resting around Kings Bay.
Undisturbed access to the springs is critical to the manatees’ survival.
Resting manatees can be found near the water’s surface, partially submerged in the water
column or laying on the water bottom.
They remain relatively still while resting, but may make some slight movements.
For example: Manatees may remain almost motionless before moving to the surface to breath, then
returning to the original resting position This means that resting manatees may be found
moving while resting and it is your responsibility not to disturb them.
Manatees are completely defenseless wild animals.
Recreating close to manatees is a privilege that comes with serious personal responsibility.
In the next few minutes, the rules that prevent manatee harassment will be shown,
followed by additional recommendations that will improve the quality of your experience.
Manatee sanctuaries provide a safe area for manatees to rest without disturbance from
humans during the cold winter months.
Manatee sanctuaries are designated by large orange and white buoys stating closed area.
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All activities are prohibited inside.
Visitors must stay out of all posted manatee sanctuaries and all other posted closed areas.
Responsibilities of photographers and videographers in Kings Bay
The USFWS regulates commercial photography and filming through their special use permitting
process.
Obtaining a permit requires a visit to Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge’s headquarters
prior to any commercial videography or photography activity.
You must keep your permit on site at all times while working in Kings Bay.
You will also be issued a vest to be worn whenever working in the bay.
These vests must be returned once work is completed.
Each vest is uniquely numbered to allow refuge staff and law enforcement to ensure that permit
holders are complying with the permit conditions.
The permit holder, designee, and/or film crew cannot impede or prohibit visitor use within
the refuge.
The permit does not grant access to any designated closed area including sanctuaries and any
access from the water to the land at the Three Sister Springs property.
No vegetation should be cleared, trimmed, or disturbed.
All flash photography is only permitted beginning one hour after sunrise until one hour before
sunset.
Photographers may only use a diffused strobe (the mechanical ability to diminish flash)
and must remain a minimum of six feet from resting manatee(s).
The use of “rapid fire” photography, more than one flash shot every five seconds, is
prohibited.
Video recording and/or photography with the use of constant lighting is prohibited.
Reminders for hobbyists and commercial photographers: Photographers and videographers are encouraged
to remain calm and move slowly when in the water, and avoid the use of artificial lighting
when filming manatees.
Excessive movement disturbs sediment on the floor of the springs and bay, which reduces
your and other visitors’ visibility.
When breaking the surface, it is best to vertically descend while squatting down
While preventing stirring the bottom with your fins or feet.
Please avoid a head-first descend.
Head-first submersion typically results in a diagonal descent and may cause manatee disturbance.
While photographers may submerge to photograph manatees,
be aware that diving down on a resting or feeding manatee is prohibited within Kings
Bay.
Although it’s tempting to get very close or even follow manatees to get the perfect
shot, these actions can quickly elevate into harassment.
Always be aware of your behavior around manatees and the manatees’ behavior around you.
Remember, holding a Special Use Permit does not allow you to harass or change the natural
behavior of a manatee in any way.
If you see an injured manatee or need to report a violation of the Kings Bay manatee regulations,
please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert
Hotline at 1 888 404-3922.
Closing Remarks Thank you for taking the time to review these
regulations and guidelines.
Please remember that Kings Bay is a community shared by manatees and people, so be respectful
of homeowners, businesses, and manatees during your visit.
The USFWS wants both: you and the manatees to have a safe experience.
With your help, we can protect this critical manatee area so it can be shared with future
generations If you see an injured manatee or need to report
a violation of the Kings Bay manatee regulations, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1 888 404-3922.
Thank you for taking the time to review these regulations and guidelines.
Please remember that Kings Bay is a community shared by manatees and people, so be respectful
of homeowners, businesses, and manatees during your visit.
The USFWS wants both: you and the manatees to have a safe experience.
With your help, we can protect this critical manatee area so it can be shared with future
generations For more information about manatee protection
within Kings Bay, visit us online at www.fws.gov/CrystalRiver