Aired on WUFT on May 25th, 2012

Memorial Day weekend is usually one of the busiest times on Florida’s waterways, lakes, rivers and the ocean.  According to statistics compiled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Office of Boating and Waterways, the number one cause of boating deaths in Florida is drowning, so wildlife officials remind people to wear life-jackets.  Other suggestions for a safe weekend of boating include:  not overloading the boat with people or equipment, carrying a cell phone, filing a float plan with relatives and being weather-wise.  In addition to these suggestions, wildlife officials are also warning boaters to look out for sturgeon jumping out of the water in many of North Central Florida’s rivers, especially the Suwannee River.  Water levels are especially low which puts many boats and sturgeon in closer proximity.  Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with FWC spokeswoman Karen Parker about the dangers of jumping sturgeon