FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2002
Florida Keys Protection Continues
As Governor & Cabinet Accept Management Plan
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Jeb Bush and Cabinet
members concurred that a Five-Year Management Plan for the
2,900-square-mile waters within the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary is providing the protection for which it
was designed.
"Good things have been happening in the Sanctuary
over the past five years," said Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary David B. Struhs.
"The plan is clearly working. ‘No Discharge Zones’
along with ‘No Take Zones’ have improved water
quality, protected reefs, and increased the number of reef
fish."
In 1990, following the grounding of three large vessels
on Florida Keys coral reefs, the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act was passed by
Congress. This law created the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary, providing federal authority to implement
regulations to protect marine resources in the Florida
Keys.
The Act restricted vessels greater than 50 meters from
entering the Sanctuary and prohibited the leasing,
exploration, development or production of minerals in the
Sanctuary. In addition, it called for local, state and
federal agencies, and the general public to develop a
comprehensive management plan.
In 1997, the Governor and Cabinet adopted the five-year
plan through a resolution specifying conditions and
agreements between the State and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration for the long-term management of
the sanctuary.
Currently, more than 80 percent of the directed
strategies and activities have either been completed or
are successfully ongoing. Several significant achievements
have occurred as a result of the plan, including:
Establishing the fully protected Tortugas Ecological
Reserve to protect the diverse marine life and lush corals
(implemented one year ago); establishing boundaries for
ships by working with the shipping industry; developing
mooring, education/outreach, enforcement and water quality
action plans; installing RACON beacons to warn ships to
avoid sensitive reef areas (just one grounding has
occurred since placing the beacons in the sanctuary);
increase in the number of reef fish; coral cover has
stopped declining; and seagrasses are stable and supported
in 80 percent of the Sanctuary.
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Press Office
