U/W acoustic technology helps safeguard manatees

摘要

Materials Systems, Inc. (MSI) of Massachusetts, USA, reports it is supplying piezocomposite sonar sensors for use in the upgraded Manatee Protection System at the Canaveral navigation lock in Florida, USA. The system will help safeguard Florida's endangered manatees from serious injury or death. Manatees live in Florida's shallow rivers, estuaries, canals and coastal waters. These slow and gentle creatures travel through the canal lock gates in search of food. Watercraft collisions are the leading human related cause of manatee deaths, but lock gate accidents are second. Approximately 200 manatees have been crushed by Florida lock gates since 1974 because the turbid water often prevents gate operators from seeing the manatees.