|
|
Boot
Key
Harbor An On-Line
Cruising Guide for the Florida Keys & Cuba |
|
|
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Information (FKNMS)
Any Boaters planning to be on the water around the Florida Keys MUST be aware of the Marine Sanctuary and rules relating to boating and diving. The Sanctuary encompasses some 2,800 square miles to include ALL of the Florida Keys, the Marquesas and Tortugas, and surrounding waters - not just the reefs. Aside from the rules and regulations that apply to all of the Sanctuary, there are an additional three types of zones within the Sanctuary which have more restrictions. These are the Ecological Reserve (ER), the Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPA), and the Special Use Areas. Ecological Reserve - Right now (2000) there's only one - the Western Sambas located south of Key West. Sanctuary Preservation Areas (S.P.A.)- There are currently 18 small SPA's around the Keys so these are the most likely area's for you to encounter. They're intended to protect popular shallow coral reefs. The restrictions on these SPA's and the ER's are the same - no fishing with anything (except catch & release by trolling is OK on Sombrero Reef, Conch Reef, Alligator Reef, and Sand Key SPA's). The SPA just off Marathon is Sombrero Reef at the light. There is no anchoring on living or dead coral, no touching or standing on living or dead coral, no discharge of any matter except cooling water or engine exhaust (technically no bilge discharge or gray water from your sink!!) These SPA's are marked off with the large Yellow round buoys (remember not to tie to any of these - only the blue & white mooring buoys). The Special Use Areas are for research ONLY. You are not even allowed to pass through these areas on your boat, even if there's no fishing, diving, discharge, groundings or any of the "bad" things that boaters due to Sanctuary waters. Current NOAA charts show all of these Sanctuary special areas with light blue dashed lines marking the boundaries. Besides the Marine Sanctuary, there are ALSO Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Existing Management Areas (EMA) that were setup prior to the Sanctuary. There can be additional restrictions in these areas such as no motor areas and seasonal closures. The rules change frequently. The rules are supposed to be CLEARLY posted in the affected areas, but we can tell you that this is not necessarily true so try to be informed. These areas include places such as the Looe Key and Key Largo Management areas, the Great White Heron and Key West National Wildlife Refuges. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT GROUNDINGS OF ANY TYPE - FLATS, MUD, GRASS OR CORAL - MAY RESULT IN LARGE FINES. We all realize the hazards (to both the coral and your boat) of going aground on a coral reef, but even going aground in a seemingly harmless grass or mud flat away from the reef may result in a $175 or more fine! Groundings in coral or large areas of grass may result in fines exceeding your entire net worth !! This applies anywhere in Keys waters - not just on the reef or specially buoyed areas. Fines are based on an assessment of the square footage of grass or coral you "disturb". The FKNMS literature will advise you to notify the Sanctuary Patrol or Florida Marine Patrol (FMP) on VHF channel 16 so they may "provide you with assistance". Don't do it. The only assistance they are authorized to provide is to set the amount of your fine - they're not allowed to help you get off.. If you transmit the fact that you are aground over the VHF radio you are sure to elicit administrative action by the Florida Marine Patrol or Coast Guard. Call if you need help but be advised of the consequences. The regulations allow law enforcement to seize your vessel only upon "suspicion" of a violation without any hearing or trial. After a civil hearing they can force forfeiture of your boat. This is in addition to $100,000 PER DAY for violations. I suggest good piloting and discretion. Tides are twice daily and average about 1.5 to 2.0 feet - up to almost 3 feet at full and new moons. If you can wait for a rising tide you can probably get out and push your boat off. If you do call USCG on the radio to ask for times of the tides, do NOT tell them it’s because you’re aground unless you need immediate assistance. Avoid groundings to begin with by watching the color of the water and paying attention to your charts. If you do need pulled off call Sea-Tow in the Middle Keys, or Sea-Tow or TowBoat-US in the rest of the Keys. You MUST have charts in Keys waters and know how to use them and navigate. Check out the US Power Squadron boating courses if you need to learn charting and navigation. Never approach reef mooring buoys from the backside (landside) unless you have some specific local knowledge. Always approach them from Oceanside, then turn straight in to the buoys. Don't blindly use a GPS without having a chart to actually see what's in between your two waypoints. We understand the the FKNMS office in the lower keys maintains a grounding database, to help with decisions on future placements of markers & buoys. If you do go aground and manage to get off without being caught, you might consider anonymously calling Lauri MacLaughlin in that office at 305-292-0311 to give her the location of the grounding, for the benefit of future boaters. Mooring Buoy Use. - Volunteers from REEF RELIEF have generously placed over 300 mooring buoys around many of the reefs. These are exceptionally convenient and help save coral from anchor and chain damage. These blue & white buoys have a large pendant with a loop in the end. Approach the buoy into the wind/current (the pendant will be streaming directly back toward your bow). Take one of your own long lines and cleat it around one bow cleat, then thread the free end through the loop of the pendant when you pick it up. Cleat the other end of your own line onto the other bow cleat so that you now have a "bow" of your own line passing through the loop of the pendant. Using a long line gives you more scope on the buoy to prevent pulling it loose from its own anchor. The larger your boat or rougher the water the more scope you should use. When you leave, all you have to do is free your line from one cleat and back up while pulling in the rest of line. These Buoys are one of the best things REEF RELIEF ever did on our Reefs! Within the yellow buoyed SPA areas (Looe Key, Sombrero, etc.)
Reef Etiquette & other things: Don’t touch the coral. Even handling it causes damage to the coral polyps. Watch your hoses and gauges on diving equipment to keep them from dragging on coral, and be conscious of your fins and kicking. Do not anchor in coral. This is a BIGGIE - sanctuary or not. Please don’t ruin our coral. Find a mooring buoy, or anchor in large sand flats and visually check your anchor and rode to see that it is clear of coral. Florida law requires a state fishing license in state waters - even in salt water. The red and white dive flag MUST be flown while SCUBA diving or snorkeling. Please remove the flag when not diving and do not display it while the boat is underway. STAY 100 FT AWAY from Dive Flags / Divers. Common sense would indicate staying as far away as practical - notwithstanding the 100 Ft rule - especially if the "Dive" boat is the only one out there. If preparing to moor / anchor in the vicinity of the other divers, proceed at idle speed and watch closely for their bubbles or other signs. Remember that underwater divers can’t tell how far they are from their Dive boat, but they can hear the sound of your engine(s) underwater - they just can’t tell where or how far away it is. Please don’t use bleach to collect fish. It indiscriminately kills the coral and most everything in it, and is illegal anyway. To Learn more about the Florida Keys Coral Reef, visit REEF RELIEF. Don't forget to return here for more useful information. USE YOUR BROWSER BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE |
|
Boot Key Harbor website created and maintained by Capt. Gregory
T. Absten, Marathon. - A Boater's Guide to the Florida Keys & Cuba |
