Coffins Patch Sanctuary Preservation Area

To protect Ecological Reserves, which are able to protect an entire range of marine habitats found in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. These large, contiguous, diverse habitats help protect natural spawning, nursery, and permanent-residence areas needed for sustainable populations of fish and other marine life. Sanctuary Preservation Areas protect shallow reefs along the reef tract. They encompass discrete, biologically important areas that help sustain critical marine species and habitats.

Species of Concern: Seagrass, sea turtle, coral

Restrictions

The following activities are prohibited in the Florida Keys Ecological Reserves and Sanctuary Preservation Areas:
1. Discharging or depositing any material or other matter except cooling water or engine exhaust.
2. Possessing, moving, removing, taking, damaging, disturbing, breaking, cutting, spearing, or otherwise injuring any coral, marine invertebrate, fish, bottom formation, algae, seagrass or other living or dead organism, including shells, or attempting any of these activities.
3. Fishing by any means.
4. Touching living or dead coral, including but not limited to, standing on a living or dead coral formation.
5. Placing any anchor in a way that allows the anchor or any portion of the anchor apparatus (including the anchor, chain or rope) to touch living or dead coral, or any attached living organism. When anchoring dive boats, the first diver down must inspect the anchor to ensure that it is not touching living or dead coral, and will not shift in such a way as to touch such coral or other attached organism. No further diving shall take place until the anchor is placed in accordance with these requirements.
6. Anchoring instead of mooring when a mooring buoy is available or anchoring in other than a designated anchoring area when such areas have been designated and are available.

The restrictions that apply throughout the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary apply as well.

Allowed

1. Fish, invertebrates, and marine plants may be possessed aboard a vessel in an Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area, provided such resources can be shown not to have been taken within, removed from, or taken within, the Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area, as applicable, by being stowed in a cabin, locker, or similar storage area prior to entering and during transit through such reserves or areas, provided further that in an Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area located in Florida State waters, such vessel is in continuous transit through the Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area.
2. Gear capable of taking fish may be aboard a vessel in an Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area, provided such gear is not available for immediate use when entering and during transit through such Ecological Reserve or Sanctuary Preservation Area, and no presumption of fishing activity shall be drawn therefrom.