Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

1. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Recreational Diving Regulations

3. History • The Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary was established in 1975 • Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary was established in 1981 • On November 16, 1990, Former President George Bush signed into law the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, due to mounting threats to the health and ecological well being of the coral reef ecosystem • This established the 3,674 square mile sanctuary, which extends from Biscayne Bay to west of the Dry Tortugas

4. Importance of the Reefs • The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is the third largest barrier reef ecosystem on Earth. • It is the only tropical reef ecosystem in the continental United States • Coral Reefs contain more varieties of life than any other marine environment

5. Human Impacts • Average number of scuba divers/snorkelers visiting the Keys per year: 1,596,470 • Impeccable Diver responsibility, awareness, and education are key issues

6. Commercial Feeding Dives • Actively promoted under the guise of so-called “interactive dives” • Florida is the first state in the US to prohibit divers from feeding marine wildlife, the new law taking effect January 1, 2002 • Feeding wildlife changes animal behavior, and creates numerous problems • Commercial dive interests waged a two year war on the ban, and states they will continue to fight

7. Sanctuary Preservation Areas • Throughout the Sanctuary, these areas are zoned for specific purposes marked by 30” round yellow buoys • These correspond to the most popular reef diving sites • Some are Ecological Reserves, and Special Use Areas (Research Only) • All are “no take” areas

8. Mooring Buoy Action Plan • Established in 1981 • Permanent Mooring buoys for vessels • Protects the Sanctuary Reefs from anchor damage • Approximately one-third are maintained by Reef Relief • One of the most effective and simple management tools used to protect the reefs • Now used around the world

9. “Tips” from Reef Relief • Do not touch anything • Discourage use of gloves, most people will hesitate to touch things without them • Never stand up on a coral reef • Use only the weight needed, and practice proper buoyancy control • Do not disturb areas that appear empty- they are not

10. Solutions • Stricter enforcement by Florida Wildlife Officers • Scuba Diving Certification classes geared not only toward the safety of the diver, but to also include mandatory material on the preservation of the environment as well • Ecological and Environmental Awareness Training required for all personnel in the dive industry • Mandatory Dive Master training for “talks” to include safety of the animals and the reef, not just “come back with more than 500 psi in your tank”

11. How Everyone Can Help • Do not buy dead corals, shells, starfish, urchins, seahorses and the like at beach gift shops • This leads to decimated reef areas • And last but not least, if you go diving, don’t kiss the eels!

12. Acknowledgements • Reef Relief, Key West, Florida www.reefrelief.org • David Jarrell, My Favorite Uncle  PADI, NAUI, & SSI Instructor Key Largo, Florida • Kelly’s On The Bay, Key Largo, Florida www.aquanuts.com • PADI International www.PADI.com

13. “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, love only what we understand, and understand only what we are taught”-B. Dioum