. >> reporter: crystal river is one of the ten places to see before you die, manatee ecotourism is a life blood population 3,000. but ecotourism and the hundreds of thousands of tourists it brings has set off a passionate debate between ecotourists and residents. >> let me fall back on john audubon, you only protect what you love, you only love what you know. by getting to know the animals we are fostering a stewardship. when you come face to face, it becomes somewhat real to us. manatees will behave much more like cats and not so much like dogs. >> call them gentle giants. they are so engaging and they're so curious and they move in slow motion when they're looking at you and there's a connection when you look in those eyes. >> every day he takes visitors underwater and often swimmers will pet or touch the manatees which is legal here but an environmental group called peer public employees for environmental responsibility filed a lawsuit if they don't ban the touching tourists. ipts an it's an experience that turns tourists to environmental purists. >> it gives me clils being able t