December 2024
After years of devastating impacts to the marine environment in the Florida Keys, the long-awaited Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be published as a final rule in January, following today's release of the final environmental impact statement and management plan. The documents outline NOAA's regulatory recommendations, marking a critical milestone in the long-term efforts to restore the sanctuary's delicate ecosystem.
"I would say the end is in sight but it's really a new beginning," said Matt Stout, acting superintendent of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. "The Restoration Blueprint represents real solutions drawn from over a decade of research, technical expertise, consultations with partner agencies, and public input. It is the beginning of a comprehensive recovery effort that the sanctuary desperately needs."
The final environmental impact statement provides NOAA's responses to recent substantive public comments on the Restoration Blueprint and begins a required 30-day wait period before the agency can sign the final decision. After the final rule is published, the governor of Florida will have 45 days to assess the regulations and either accept them in whole, reject them in whole, or line-item veto parts that fall within state waters. At that point, the final Restoration Blueprint becomes law.
Hope and Perseverance
The story of restoring the delicate coral reefs, lush seagrasses, colorful sponge gardens, and winding mangrove forests of the sanctuary to a healthy and sustainable state is one about hope and perseverance.
While perspectives vary, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Chair, Ben Daughtry points out that "The Restoration Blueprint isn't perfect, but it represents a 13-year effort with thousands of man hours dedicated to making things better." Daughtry was born and raised in the Keys and is the owner and president of a public educational aquarium facility and an aquarium supply business in Marathon. "Growing up here in the Keys, I remember what our underwater ecosystem used to look like—and should look like. I want to be a part of restoring that so my children have a chance to see at least some version of what I saw growing up here."
NOAA's Final Recommendations for the Restoration Blueprint
The final version of Restoration Blueprint outlines a series of science-based recommendations that reflect a balanced approach, combining strong environmental protections with the need to maintain sustainable access for local communities who depend on the sanctuary's marine resources. NOAA's final recommendations are designed to enhance the resilience of the sanctuary's ecosystems while supporting long-term sustainability for the region. Key provisions include:
- Expand the sanctuary boundary by 20%
- Maintain open fishing in 95% of the sanctuary while creating consistent regulations for sanctuary preservation areas
- Prohibit the discharge of any material from cruise ships other than cooling water
- Add 20 wildlife management areas
- Prohibit the anchoring of vessels at risk of becoming derelict
Aligns sanctuary boundary with the extent of the existing "Area to Be Avoided" and protects vital marine habitats west of Riley's Hump at Tortugas Ecological Reserve.
Protects popular coral reefs and provides refuge for marine life and scuba divers
Reduces pollution and safeguards water quality
Protects seagrass beds and gives adequate space to nesting birds and sea turtles, which are critical to the sanctuary's biodiversity
Prevents further damage to sensitive habitats
How We Got Here
The Restoration Blueprint process began in 2011 with the publication of a concerning report on the state of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The report highlighted the declining health of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and other vital ecosystems. In response, NOAA began developing comprehensive rules to bolster the resilience of marine ecosystems in the face of ongoing environmental threats such as hurricanes, diseases, vessel groundings, rising ocean temperatures, pollution, and human activity.
The final Restoration Blueprint's recommendations are the culmination of hundreds of agreements and collaborative efforts, nurtured through an extensive process of public consultation, state and federal partnerships, and scientific research. NOAA has spent 13 years listening to diverse stakeholders from the Keys community to develop a robust and thoughtful plan that balances conservation with resource use to ensure the sanctuary thrives for generations to come.
When a Community Comes Together
The sanctuary's tourism value to the Florida Keys economy is estimated at $2.4 billion (2018 data from Rockport Analytics), supporting 44% of jobs and employment in Monroe County. Maintaining a healthy ecosystem is critical to the appeal of the Keys as a tourist destination. Because the economy of the Keys is intricately tied to the health of the ocean, the Blueprint has garnered strong local support, including from elected officials such as County Commissioner Holly Raschein, who voiced her backing shortly after assuming her role as mayor of Monroe County last year.
"The ocean and coral reefs of the Florida Keys do so much for us, and now it's critical we return the favor," said Raschein. "We must embrace the changes of the national marine sanctuary's Restoration Blueprint, understand what those changes mean for our daily interactions and uses of our local waters, follow the new rules, and help educate others about why these changes are so significant. We must all unite to make the Restoration Blueprint a success for the Florida Keys."
There is a long history of fishing in the Florida Keys, and it's sometimes referred to as the "fishing capital of the world." From flats and mangroves in the backcountry, to coral reefs and deep water in the Gulf Stream, this diverse range of habitats is home to an unprecedented variety of fish species that can keep anglers busy year-round.
Because recreational and commercial fishing are so important to the economy and culture of the Keys, many local anglers are serious about fishing responsibly and following regulations.
Captain Will Benson has been a fishing guide in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary since he was 19 years old. "As a teenager, I would rarely see other boats in the back country behind my house in Sugarloaf Key," says Benson. "These days, there are many more boats in that area." In addition to increased recreational boat traffic, Benson says he's witnessed an increase in cruise ship traffic. "I have noticed dramatic changes to the water quality surrounding Key West," Benson explains. "There is too much turbidity. Gone are the massive schools of tarpon that would congregate in Key West Harbor."
An increase in the number of resource users has led to more pressure on the ecosystem, resulting in seagrass scarring, damage to coral heads, and reduced water quality, all of which can impact the location and abundance of various marine life, including recreational fish species. These are some of the issues that Restoration Blueprint intends to address.
"My hope for the future is that managers will continue to follow the science and increase their support for law enforcement to uphold the regulations that are in place," concludes Benson.
What Happens Next?
NOAA cooperatively manages the sanctuary in areas that intersect the state of Florida boundary, just over one-half of the 4,539 square miles. Once the final rule is published in January, the governor of Florida will have 45 days to review the regulations and decide whether to accept them in full, reject them entirely, or exercise a line-item veto on parts that affect state waters. At this point, the final Restoration Blueprint becomes law.
"The final rule will be our New Year's resolution to start the restoration process," Stout says with enthusiasm. "I believe that in this new plan we have found a balance between protection and access. We can now begin the New Year with working solutions that will help restore the Keys ecosystem."
Rachel Plunkett is the content manager and senior writer for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries