PWC Riding Restricted in Florida
PWC riders on the Halifax and Tomoka rivers in Florida face new federal speed restrictions. The changes include a seasonal slow-speed zone in parts of the Tomoka River, year-round slow-speed zones near the Seabreeze and Dunlawton bridges and a 25-mph limit in the channel of the Intracoastal Waterway. Some of the changes eliminated areas often used by personal watercraft, according to published reports.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service created the restrictions as part of a settlement between the agency and a coalition of environmental groups, including the Save the Manatee Club, that sued the federal government for stricter manatee protections.
Under the changes, the top speed on the Intracoastal Waterway channel has been dropped from 35 mph to 25 mph. The fine for the infractions is $63.