MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — South Florida’s diverse marine life isn’t just an economic driver through tourism, it’s also a part of who we are.

Coral, sea turtles, manatees and even whales all play a vital role in our ocean ecosystem. But recent changes at the federal level could erase critical protections these species depend on.

A bedrock environmental law is being dramatically rewritten, and now some of our most beloved and endangered marine life could pay the price.

“The Endangered Species Act will no longer protect the habitat, the home of the species it’s trying to keep from going extinct, which doesn’t make any sense,” said Nora Ives, a marine scientist with Oceana.

The Trump administration is rescinding the definition of “harm” from the Endangered Species Act, a bill that has been the law of the land for more than 50 years.

“These changes take the teeth out of this law, and what is the value of listing a species if you can’t protect its home?” Ives said.

The move strips critical protection of habitats for two of Florida’s most embattled species — green turtles and manatees — both listed as endangered.

The number one driver of extinction is harm to a species’ habitat.

“Before it was listed under the ESA or Endangered Species Act, there were about zero sea turtle nests on the Florida beaches. Since it was listed in 1978, we’re up to over 200,000 sea turtle nests of the green sea turtle species,” Ives said. “So, just another example that this law works and that our coastal economies, our local communities, our nation as a whole benefits from its success.”

Perhaps no species illustrates the devastating effects of habitat loss better than the Florida manatee. Five years ago, a pollution-fueled seagrass die-off triggered a mass mortality event: More than 1,200 manatees died, many starving to death.

“Another big concern is oil coming onshore and destroying seagrass habitat and ..ruining the habitat that manatees have,” said Beth Brady, director of science and conservation at Save the Manatee Club. “Manatees are just an indicator of the health of the ecosystem. And when you have healthy manatees, you have healthy habitat, springs, drinking water.”

Any further threat to the habitat has scientists concerned it could trigger another deadly crisis.

“Right now, I would say that the fluctuations that we’re seeing in both seagrass and manatee numbers really make us think that the balance is very fragile,” said Dr. Jeremy Kiszka, associate professor of biology at FIU.

Signed into law by President Nixon in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been an incredible bipartisan success story.

“It has protected over 99% of the species listed under its care from going extinct. And polling shows that it is a law that our country supports across the political spectrum,” Ives said.

Still, in March, the Trump administration convened the Endangered Species Committee for the first time in more than 30 years.

The powerful panel of senior administration officials, nicknamed the “God Squad,” moved to exempt oil-and-gas exploration from key ESA protections.

Then the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ended automatic protections for future threatened species and eased rules for excluding land from critical habitat.

“If you take away that protection, who knows what the impacts would be for the species and the recovery of the species, so it could be catastrophic,” Ives said.

President Trump defended the moves, posting that the Endangered Species Act is overreach by radical climate activists, stifling production of oil, natural gas and timber.

But conservation groups are fighting back. Earthjustice is filing multiple federal lawsuits, joined by an armada of others around the country, including Oceana.

“There’s no need to dismantle something that has worked for 50 plus years. And additionally, it allows human activity to go forward safely while protecting the species we all rely on for our ecological and our climate health,” Ives said.

Congress is also pushing back, introducing a bipartisan bill into the House late last month that would restore the definition of “harm” in the ESA.

“What is really important is the idea of coexisting. And these species are not to be taken for granted. They’ve been protected in in the US, in Florida for many years. But it doesn’t mean that they’re going to be present in, you know, 30, 40 or 50 years. They’re really fragile,” Kiszka said.

“It’s not just about a manatee, it’s about having a healthy Florida for generations to come,” Brady said.

The fight is also coming to South Florida.

Oceana is partnering with Surfrider and the Endangered Species Coalition for rallies in the Florida Keys at the end of the month to help draw support for endangered marine life.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has 60 days to respond to the federal lawsuits.

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