Some changes may be on the horizon for those who wish to visit Three Sisters Springs in Citrus County.

Wildlife officials said they want to limit access to the popular Crystal River spot. More and more manatees have been coming into the springs when it gets cold outside.

Officials also say more people are showing up to swim with the manatees, and the combination isn't working.

"It is such a crowding effect," said Andrew Gude, a project leader with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "You have no choice but to find yourself negatively interacting with animals, even if you don't want to."

Three hundred manatees have been counted in the springs before, and there can be as many as 100 people coming and going per hour when it's busy.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes designed to give the manatees more peace and quiet.

"It's not the individuals, individual actions of people," Gude said. "It's just the crowding of the numbers of people that are affecting manatees."

Wildlife officials want to keep watercraft like kayaks and paddle boards out of Three Sisters Springs. Under the proposed changes, people will only be able to swim in the springs with a guide, and only between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The rules would only be in place during the winter tourist season, when temperatures drop and more manatees seek refuge in the spring's waters.

Charles Slider, who owns Manatee Tour and Dive in Crystal River, said he doesn't have a problem with the possible changes.

"There are plenty of other places to go look for manatees and see manatees, even outside of Three Sisters," he said.

The proposed rule changes are open to a 14-day public comment period. After that, agency officials will review the comments and make a decision.

To review the proposed changes, visit http://www.fws.gov/refuge/crystal_river/. If you would like to comment on the proposal, comments should be addressed to, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Crystal River NWR, ATTN: Andrew Gude, 1502 SE Kings Bay Dr., Crystal River, FL, 34429 or via e-mail at crystalriver@fws.gov.

Comments must be received by Jan. 2, 2015.

If the agency decides to implement the rule changes, they could go into effect as soon as early January.