Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Key West, FL 33040
Phone:305-809-4700
Fax:305-293-5011
Web: floridakeys.noaa.gov
Location:Surrounds the entire archipelago of the Florida Keys, portions of Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Activities:Diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, and swimming.
Special Features:Approximately six miles seaward of the Florida Keys and within sanctuary boundaries is North America's only living coral barrier reefand the third longest barrier reef in the world. Cultural resources are also contained within the sanctuary. The proximity of coral reefs to centuries old shipping routes has resulted in a high concentration of shipwrecks and an abundance of artifacts. Description:Description: The Sanctuary encompasses 3,600 square miles of submerged lands and waters surrounding most of the 1,700 islands that make up the Florida Keys, a 220-mile-long string of islands extending south and west of the Florida mainland. The shoreward boundary of the sanctuary is the mean high-water mark. Common Species: Manatees, sea turtles, whales, American crocodiles, and wood storks. Environmental Issues: Deteriorating water quality, physical damage to coral reefs and sea grass communities, declining health of living coral reefs, and loss of essential marine resources. Habitats: Coral reefs, fringing mangroves and mangrove islands, seagrass meadows, hardbottom regions, patch reefs, and bank reefs. Access: More than 257 private and public recreational sites are available in the Florida Keys. Access points range from boat ramps along US Highway 1, the main road that spans the entire length of the Keys, to large public facilities such as John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (see separate entry in Florida State Parks section).
Year Designated: 1990.
See other parks in Florida.