MVI was contracted by Cigarette Racing, LLC to provide aerial and boat-based monitoring for manatees and sea turtles during powerboat races. MVI worked with event personnel to provide detailed and immediate notifications on the presence of protected species within the race area. For this project, MVI personnel used Reticle binoculars, DSLR cameras, and helicopter aerial surveys. Complex coordination was necessary to provide vessel and aerial coverage of the event.
Multiple detections of turtles and manatees during the event were recorded, and immediate mitigation actions were taken on several occasions to prevent incidents. A final report detailing observation effort, flight paths, detections, and mitigation actions was provided to the County and state regulators.