Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

To protect 2,900 square nautical miles of waters surrounding the Florida Keys, from south of Miami westward to encompass the Dry Tortugas. The sanctuary includes the world's third largest barrier reef, extensive seagrass beds, mangrove-fringed islands, and more than 6,000 species of marine life. The sanctuary also protects pieces of our nation's history such as shipwrecks and other archaeological treasures.

Species of Concern: Seagrass, sea turtle, coral

Restrictions

The following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted:
1. Exploring for, developing, or producing minerals or hydrocarbons within the Sanctuary.
2. Removal of, injury to, or possession of coral or live rock:
(i) Moving, removing, taking, harvesting, damaging, disturbing, touching, breaking, cutting, or otherwise injuring, or possessing (regardless of where taken from) any living or dead coral, or coral formation, or attempting any of these activities, except as permitted under 50 CFR part 622.
(ii) Harvesting, or attempting to harvest, any live rock from the Sanctuary, or possessing (regardless of where taken from) any live rock within the Sanctuary, except as authorized by a permit for the possession or harvest from aquaculture operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone, issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to applicable regulations under the appropriate Fishery Management Plan, or as authorized by the applicable State authority of competent jurisdiction within the Sanctuary for live rock cultured on State submerged lands leased from the State of Florida, pursuant to applicable State law. See § 370.027, Florida Statutes and implementing regulations.
3. Drilling into, dredging, or otherwise altering the seabed of the Sanctuary, or engaging in prop-dredging; or constructing, placing or abandoning any structure, material, or other matter on the seabed of the Sanctuary, except as an incidental result of:
(i) Anchoring vessels in a manner not otherwise prohibited by this part (see §§ 922.163(a)(5)(ii) and 922.164(d)(1)(v));
(ii) Traditional fishing activities not otherwise prohibited by this part;
4. Discharge or deposit of materials or other matter.
(i) Discharging or depositing, from within the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter:
(ii) Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter that subsequently enters the Sanctuary and injures a Sanctuary resource or quality:
5. Operation of vessels:
(i) Operating a vessel in such a manner as to strike or otherwise injure coral, seagrass, or any other immobile organism attached to the seabed, including, but not limited to, operating a vessel in such a manner as to cause prop-scarring.
(ii) Having a vessel anchored on living coral other than hardbottom in water depths less than 40 feet when visibility is such that the seabed can be seen.
(iii) Except in officially marked channels, operating a vessel at a speed greater than 4 knots or in manner which creates a wake:
(A) Within an area designated idle speed only/no wake;
(B) Within 100 yards of navigational aids indicating emergent or shallow reefs (international diamond warning symbol);
(C) Within 100 yards of the red and white “divers down” flag (or the blue and white “alpha” flag in Federal waters);
(D) Within 100 yards of residential shorelines;
(E) Within 100 yards of stationary vessels.
(iv) Operating a vessel in such a manner as to injure or take wading, roosting, or nesting birds or marine mammals.
(v) Operating a vessel in a manner which endangers life, limb, marine resources, or property.
(vi) Having a marine sanitation device that is not secured in a manner that prevents discharges or deposits of treated and untreated sewage. Acceptable methods include, but are not limited to, all methods that have been approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (at 33 CFR 159.7(b) and (c)).
6. Diving or snorkeling without flying in a conspicuous manner the red and white “divers down” flag (or the blue and white “alpha” flag in Federal waters).
7. Introducing or releasing an exotic species of plant, invertebrate, fish, amphibian, or mammals into the Sanctuary.
8. Marking, defacing, or damaging in any way or displacing, removing, or tampering with any official signs, notices, or placards, whether temporary or permanent, or with any navigational aids, monuments, stakes, posts, mooring buoys, boundary buoys, trap buoys, or scientific equipment.
9. Moving, removing, injuring, or possessing, or attempting to move, remove, injure, or possess, a Sanctuary historical resource.
10. Taking any marine mammal, sea turtle, or seabird in or above the Sanctuary, except as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., the Endangered Species Act, as amended, (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, (MBTA) 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.
11. Possessing, or using explosives, except powerheads, or releasing electrical charges within the Sanctuary.
12. Harvesting, possessing, or landing any marine life species, or part thereof, within the Sanctuary, except in accordance with rules 68B–42 of the Florida Administrative Code, and such rules shall apply mutatis mutandis (with necessary editorial changes) to all Federal and State waters within the Sanctuary.

Allowed

1. Fishing is permitted in accordance with Florida marine fishing regulations.
2. Discharging or depositing, from within the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter:
(a) Fish, fish parts, chumming materials, or bait used or produced incidental to and while conducting a traditional fishing activity in the Sanctuary;
(b) Water generated by routine vessel operations (e.g., deck wash down and graywater), excluding oily wastes from bilge pumping; or
(c) Cooling water from vessels or engine exhaust.
3. Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary:
(a) Fish, fish parts, chumming materials, or bait used or produced incidental to and while conducting a traditional fishing activity in the Sanctuary;
(b) Water generated by routine vessel operations (e.g., deck wash down and graywater), excluding oily wastes from bilge pumping;
(c) Cooling water from vessels or engine exhaust;(e) Those authorized under Monroe County land use permits; or
(f) Those authorized under State permits.