Boaters who received the educational intervention were less likely to agree that

speed limits were adequately signed than did the treatment group. Manatee Watch

literature describes the different speed limit signs, depicted on its chart. Possibly,

recipients of the educational program were more aware that speed limits are not

adequately signed because of the chart.

 The behavior items in the survey were designed based on the behaviors targeted by

Manatee Watch, yet the treatment and control groups did not differ on any of the scaled

behavior items. Although recipients of the education program received nautical charts,

these boaters did not report carrying nautical charts while boating more frequently than

other boaters. The other items, regarding boating speed and awareness of manatees in

shallow water, were primary messages conveyed by Manatee Watch on their materials.

Answers to the open-ended behavior questions about what to do if you run aground or

what to do if you see a sick or injured manatee did not differ between treatment and

control groups.

 Based on these findings, it appears that the Tampa Bay Manatee Watch did not

have a significant effect on the boaters' attitudes, knowledge, or behavior regarding

manatees.

 One question on the survey: "Has anyone from Tampa Bay Manatee Watch ever

given you any materials while you were boating in Tampa Bay?" attempted to assess if

people remembered the educational intervention from Tampa Bay Manatee Watch. Only

55% percent of those in the treatment group reported receiving the educational

intervention. We could not distinguish whether this was due to people's faulty memory

or if the methods used in the study did not adequately identify the treatment boaters. The

study began in June of 1999; it is possible that people did not remember receiving this