NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is part of a national system of marine sanctuaries around the United States. There are fourteen National Marine Sanctuaries established in areas where the natural or cultural resources are so significant that they warrant special status and protection. The Florida Keys coral reef system is just such an area. Marine Sanctuaries are not new to the Florida Keys; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a successful history here in the Keys. The Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, located in the upper Keys, was designated in 1975 and just celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary in the middle Keys was designated in 1981, and just celebrated 15 years of protecting and managing the coral reef.
The Florida Keys are a unique national treasure of international notoriety. The natural and cultural resources and environmental setting of the area make it among the most diverse in North America. The special resources found in the waters of the Florida Keys that qualify the area for the status of a National Marine Sanctuary include: America's only living barrier coral reef; patch reefs; hardbottoms; vast seagrass meadows; mangrove fringed islands; and all of the rich marine life these marine communities support.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA KEYS -- ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
The deterioration of the marine environment in the Keys is not a matter of debate. There is a decline of healthy corals, signaled by an increase of coral diseases, coral bleaching, and decreased living coral cover. Marine scientists have reported an invasion of algae into seagrass beds and onto the coral reefs. Fisheries scientists are reporting declines in some fish stocks, thus affecting certain fisheries. Additionally, Florida Bay has undergone changes during the past decade that have resulted in degradation of the ecosystem, in terms of the productivity, health, and stability of its living marine resources. Reduced freshwater flow in Florida Bay is one of the factors that has resulted in an increase in plankton blooms, sponge and seagrass die-offs, and fish kills.
The very special marine resources of the Florida Keys that qualify the area as a National Marine Sanctuary contribute to the high quality of life in the Keys. Indisputably, without these unique marine resources the quality of life and the economy of the Keys would surely decline. The living coral reefs and seagrass meadows of the Florida Keys are not only aesthetically appealing, but they serve a more basic function by providing the shelter and source of food for the recreationally and commercially important species of fish, lobster, crabs, shrimp, and other marine life.
Millions of visitors come to the Keys because this is the only tropical environment within reach by automobile in the continental United States where a person can readily dive on the living coral reef or catch and release a bonefish on a seagrass flat. According to a recently completed visitor survey sponsored by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, The Nature Conservancy, and NOAA titled Linking the Economy and Environment of Florida Keys/Florida Bay, there were 6,005,723 visitors to the Florida Keys between June 1995 and May 1996. Among those visitors, 4,761,253 came to recreate in the Keys, of which 1,596,470 were snorkelers and scuba divers, 1,086,373 were recreational fishers, and 1,456,303 came to view the wildlife and study nature. Probably what is more important, is that 94.4% of the visitors to the Keys are concerned about the protection of the environment and nearly 38% place a very high priority on protection of the environment.
Clearly, protecting the marine resources of the Sanctuary is not only good for the environment of the Florida Keys, but it is also good for the economy. The total annual spending by recreating visitors to the Florida Keys and Key West is about $2.1 billion dollars, according to the results of the survey. The economy of the Keys cannot afford to lose the living resources of the Sanctuary; nor can those who simply appreciate the experience that the Keys brings, afford to see the environment decline.
FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
In 1989, mounting threats to the health and ecological future of the coral reef ecosystem in the Florida Keys prompted Congress to take action to protect this fragile natural resource. The threat of oil drilling in the mid to late 1980's off the Florida Keys, combined with reports of deteriorating water quality throughout the region, occurred at the same time scientists were assessing the adverse affects of coral bleaching, the die-off of the long-spined urchin, loss of living coral cover on reefs, a major seagrass die-off, declines in reef fish populations, and the spread of coral diseases. These were topics of major scientific concern, and the focus of several scientific workshops, when three large ships ran aground on the coral reef tract within a brief 18 day period in the fall of 1989. Coincidental as it may seem, it was this final physical insult to the reef that prompted Congress to take action to protect the coral reef ecosystem of the Florida Keys. Although most remember the ship groundings as having triggered Congressional action, it was in fact the cumulative events of environmental degradation, in conjunction with the physical impacts that prompted Congress to designate the 2800 square nautical mile Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and called for the development of a comprehensive management plan.
PUBLIC CONCERN IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
During the development of the Final Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Sanctuary, those responsible for writing the plan had the benefit of considerable public input. It was apparent that the public was concerned about issues that affect the quality of the marine resources in the Florida Keys and the quality of life for those who live, work, and recreate in the Keys. There was an enormous amount of consistency in the opinions and concerns expressed by the public at preliminary meetings in 1991 and at public hearings on the draft management plan in 1995. Written comments on the draft plan largely reiterated the views voiced at the public hearings.
During those meetings, the public told Sanctuary planners that their main concerns were: declining water quality; protecting America's only living coral reef; increased pressures on declining resources; increased boating activity, affecting the quality of life and personal safety on Keys waters; lack of enforcement; and finding ways to keep the precious marine resources of the Keys healthy for future generations.
There was more agreement on some issues than others. Most expressed concern over declining water quality. Although there was not agreement on the cause of the declining water quality, most recognized it was the major factor affecting the health of the living coral reef, the seagrasses, and fisheries stocks in the Florida Keys. While nearly everyone agreed that America's living coral reef had to be protected and preserved for the use and enjoyment of future generations, there was not always agreement on the methods. Much of the public recognized the importance of the links between a healthy environment and a healthy economy. The majority of the public expressed concern over continued decline of marine resources in the Keys, including declines relating to overuse and overharvest.
The development of the Final Management Plan has not been without controversy. Some were concerned about the administration of the Sanctuary being an additional agency to oversee activities in the Keys. Some expressed concern about the cost of managing the Sanctuary, while others were simply against federal involvement in the management of the resources in the Keys. Like all the public comments received on the draft plan, these comments were considered by Sanctuary staff in the development of the Final Management Plan.
THE TOOLS TO SUSTAIN AMERICA'S CORAL REEF
The Final Management Plan for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary contains some of the most innovative tools available for protecting America's coral reef and its surrounding marine communities for the use and enjoyment of future generations. Sanctuary planners are confident that they have achieved the best balanced approach to protecting Sanctuary resources through a management plan based on common sense and practical solutions. The final plan represents the most comprehensive approach ever attempted at protecting a marine community as diverse as that in the Florida Keys and in a socio-economic setting as complex as that in the Keys.
The Sanctuary's final management plan was compiled using the best available science and most current management planning techniques available in this country. Dozens of experts in managing marine resources were consulted in the development of the Sanctuary plan. The final plan provides management tools to solve major problems occurring in the marine environment of the Keys that were identified during the planning process. Those problems are separated into the following major categories: deteriorating water quality; declining health of the living coral reefs; physical damage to coral reefs and seagrass communities; user conflicts, visitor safety, and quality of life issues; and declining marine resources.
The final management plan contains both innovative and practical solutions to solving the problems in the marine environment of the Sanctuary that were identified during the planning process. Most of the solutions in the Sanctuary plan are non-regulatory in nature and serve to provide resource protection through simple management actions. Those solutions are found in the following broad management categories: improvement of water quality; coral reef and seagrass protection; resource enhancement; education and outreach; research and monitoring; volunteerism; and quality of life issues. These issues are addressed in the following ten action plans: Channel/Reef Marking, Education/Outreach, Enforcement, Mooring Buoys, Regulatory, Research and Monitoring, Submerged Cultural Resources, Water Quality, Volunteer, and Zoning.
Improvement of Water Quality. The decline in the nearshore water quality of the Florida Keys was recognized by Congress when they designated the Sanctuary and directed the EPA to work with the State and NOAA to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP). The final plan contains a Water Quality Action Plan that has specific solutions for addressing water quality problems and establishes corrective actions to solve water quality problems. The purpose of the WQPP is to recommend priority corrective actions and compliance schedules addressing point and non-point sources of pollution to restore and maintain the living coral reefs and other critical marine life in the Sanctuary. The WQPP addresses these issues through: 1) corrective actions that reduce water pollution directly by using engineering methods, prohibiting or restricting certain activities, tightening existing regulations, and/or increasing enforcement; 2) a comprehensive, long-term water quality monitoring program designed to provide information about the status and trends of water quality and biological resources in the Sanctuary; 3) research/special studies designed to identify and understand cause and effect relationships involving pollutants, transport pathways, and biological communities of the Sanctuary; and 4) public education and outreach programs designed to increase public awareness of the Sanctuary, the WQPP, and pollution sources and impacts on Sanctuary resources.
The final plan also addresses water quality problems ranging from Florida Bay to the nearshore waters of the Keys. The Sanctuary brings National, as well as State interests and resources to resolving the water quality problems in the Keys. The final plan provides tools for improving water quality within the Sanctuary and identifies specific projects to determine sources of water quality problems. The plan uses demonstration projects to assess the best available technology for treating waste water and provides for monitoring to determine what is or is not working. The Water Quality Action Plan outlines research and monitoring programs that will provide the best scientific data for basing management decisions.
The final management plan integrates the Sanctuary into the South Florida ecosystem restoration effort as a major ecological component of the ecosystem. The plan integrates the Sanctuary's water quality protection program with local, State, and other Federal programs that address water quality in the Sanctuary. The National significance of the Sanctuary resources has attracted other Federal and State agency interests in restoring the water quality of the Sanctuary.
When the planning process began in 1991 there was little attention given to the degradation of water quality in Florida Bay. During Sanctuary Advisory Council meetings, beginning in 1992, fishermen familiar with Florida Bay testified that the deterioration of the water quality in Florida Bay was critical. They warned that the deteriorating water quality was affecting both the environment and economy of the area. Sanctuary planners have subsequently worked with other agency representatives in South Florida to address water quality problems on an ecosystem basis.
Undoubtedly, if the water quality of the Keys is not restored, the decline in the health of the living coral reef resources will continue. Without these resources the economy of the Keys will decline and the quality of life for those who live here will be affected. Income and property values in the Keys will decline if the natural resources are lost.
Coral Reef and Seagrass Protection. The final management plan contains a wide range of common sense approaches to protecting America's coral reef and the seagrasses of the Florida Keys. The channel and reef marking plan uses Federal, State, and local funds to mark channels and shallow reef areas. This will help prevent damage to these important marine communities from boat groundings and prop-scarring. Sanctuary planners and partners will select the most important channels and reefs to mark by working with the public.
The Mooring Buoy Action Plan is one of the most simple and effective management tools used to protect Sanctuary resources, and it is one of the most effective. The Sanctuary staff invented the reef mooring buoy system used on coral reefs throughout the Keys in 1981. Today, this mooring buoy system is used all over the world to protect coral reefs from anchor damage. Sanctuary staff have trained others, such as volunteers with Reef Relief, on the techniques of mooring buoy installation. Today, Reef Relief maintains about one-third of the mooring buoys in the Sanctuary and we encourage them to continue and for others to support such efforts. There are many opportunities for the citizens to be involved in projects like this and we encourage as much of this public support as possible. The Sanctuary is a place where these opportunities can occur.
Resource Enhancement. The coral reefs of the Florida Keys have been the focus of harvesting activities since before the invention of SCUBA in the 1940's. Naturally, these activities have increased in intensity over the past few decades and today many Keys residents simply talk about what it use to be like in the "old days." Stories of beds of Queen Conch, rafts of sea turtles, huge schools of tropical fish, grouper, snapper and so many lobster all you had to do was wade out from shore for them are common. The final plan for the Sanctuary has included a tool that will make it possible for the coral reef to be like that again.
The Zoning Action Plan contained in the final management plan has been one of the most controversial elements of the planning process, yet it provides the opportunity for the marine resources, in some areas, to be like they were when they were undisturbed, decades ago. By setting aside portions of the coral reef community as Ecological Reserves, the coral reefs and other marine communities can return to what they were before man started harvesting them. What a gift it would be for our grandchildren to see walls of colorful tropical fish and marine life the way they used to be. Compared to the overall size of the Sanctuary the areas in the final plan are small, but necessary to accomplish the goals of the Sanctuary.
The Zoning Action Plan provides a very common sense approach to focusing protection in small critical portions of sensitive habitats, while not restricting activities any more than necessary. For example, the 18 Sanctuary Preservation Areas that are in the final plan protect over 65% of the shallow, spur and groove reef habitat, while capturing approximately 80% of the year-round diving activity. These areas displace very few commercial and recreational fishermen and their "no harvest" status will lead to resource enhancement of the coral reefs. Today, those that harvest in these areas are not primarily the divers aboard commercial charter boats, but those in their recreational boats or rental boats. By making these areas "no harvest" areas the visiting divers will be directed to reef habitat where their activity will have less impact. Approximately 2 to 3 % of the Sanctuary is designated as "no harvest" in the final plan. In the remaining 97-98% of the Sanctuary the focus for management is on improving water quality and providing habitat protection.
Education and Outreach. The primary management tool used in National Marine Sanctuaries is education and outreach. The Education and Outreach Action Plan, compiled by some of the very best environmental educators and outreach experts in South Florida, provides ways that education efforts can directly enhance the various programs to protect the living coral reef. Public awareness and understanding through education are critical ways to achieve resource protection. This plan details how information gets from scientists to managers, and then to the educators. The educators and outreach specialists then prepare various tools to convey the information to the general public.
Research and Monitoring. Wise management decisions must be based on the best science available to managers. Although there has been a lot of research done in the Keys, nobody has ever been responsible for focusing the research on specific problems in order to assist managers in answering difficult questions about the natural environment. The Research and Monitoring Action Plan helps focus research addressing specific management problems. Some of the world's best coral reef scientists helped prepare or comment on this action plan. This action plan will help us prioritize research in the Sanctuary and focus agency scientists, academic scientists, industry scientists, and private researchers on Sanctuary problems. This has and will continue to help leverage funding from outside sources to be spent here in the Keys. At a time when budgets are lean, it is important that managers maximize research efforts to get direct answers to management problems.
The monitoring program contained in the final plan will enable scientists and managers to keep a pulse on the health of the living coral reef and related communities while the public continues to use and enjoy them. It is critical for managers to know when certain environmental changes are taking place and how those changes relate to management activities. Managers need to know when their actions are working, and if they are not working. This can only be answered through the well designed monitoring program which has been developed for the Sanctuary.
Volunteerism. One of the best ways to get people to understand the importance of protecting living resources such as the coral reef is to involve them in volunteer projects. The Volunteer Action Plan links with all of the other management programs in the Sanctuary. This action plan lays out all the various ways citizens can become involved in assisting managers in protecting the Sanctuary. The volunteer program became extremely successful even before the completion of the final plan, because of the desire of hundreds of citizens who want to help make a difference in protecting America's living coral reef. When budgets are lean and there is a volunteer work force out there waiting for a blueprint to follow, it makes sense that their interests and enthusiasm are used to benefit the Sanctuary.
Quality of Life Issues. The depletion of natural resources or the disturbance of a tailing school of bonefish on a seagrass flat by a personal watercraft are issues that ultimately affect the quality of life in the Keys. Many people moved here to enjoy the bountiful natural resources of the Florida Keys and if those were to disappear it would surely affect their quality of life. People standing on and walking around on living coral reefs will affect the health of the living corals and will over time affect the quality of life of those who moved to the Keys to enjoy the living coral reefs. The Regulatory Action Plan contains some common sense regulations that will help managers protect the resources of the Sanctuary while having the least amount of impact on those who enjoy them. The regulations address important concerns that were raised by the public and apply restrictions in a way that will achieve resource protection without unduly restricting activities. This regulatory action plan will provide safety provisions to the residents and visitors to the Keys that were not previously available. The provisions aimed at boating activities will have a direct positive result of the quality of life of those who visit, work, and play in the Florida Keys.
The thrill of exploring for treasure is a way of life for some in the Keys, while protecting and preserving archaeological resources should be important to all. The Submerged Cultural Resources Action Plan balances both of these concerns with those of natural resource protection and preservation of the historic record.
In order to maximize on existing enforcement programs, the final plan contains an Enforcement Action Plan that serves to help focus enforcement on priority problems within the Sanctuary. As a means of saving money, the action plan lays out a blueprint for coordination of all the enforcement agencies in the Keys. By sharing resources and focusing on common concerns, the Sanctuary resources will receive the highest level of protection under current funding levels, thus protecting the quality of life for the citizens of the Florida Keys.
Improving our water quality, protecting our magnificent coral reef, providing for the safety and enjoyment of those who use the marine resources, and instilling a sense of stewardship to ensure that this fabulous ecosystem is here for future generations: this is why cooperative management of this precious resource is so important. The Sanctuary is a special place where people are an integral part of the equation. We must join together to make sure that this living coral reef continues to thrive.
