REPORTS SAY NATURE IS REBOUNDING IN FLORIDA
KEYS SANCTUARY MARINE ZONES
In July 1997, NOAA's Florida
Keys National Marine Sanctuary created several no-take zones,
which are an innovative way of allowing nature to replenish itself
in a small section of the sanctuary. Within the parameters of
these zones, nothing may be removed (neither plant nor animals)
although visitors are still free to enjoy the coral colonies
and colorful inhabitants of the marine ecosystem.
One year later, the hands-off approach appears to be paying off
as divers say that fish are getting bigger, and the ocean floor
once littered with discarded monofilament is now an uncluttered
thoroughfare for scuttling lobsters growing to breeding age.
While most of the reports
of a resurgence in marine life come from divers and fishing captains,
Sanctuary Superintendent Billy Causey says the scientific data
being collected is parallel to these early anecdotal reports.
The sanctuary has begun research and monitoring to see how effective
zones are in protecting marine biodiversity. But, it looks as
if anecdotal evidence will mirror hard data.
"It's extremely exciting
to see these changes taking place in our coral reef environment,"
says Causey. "More lobster, more fish, more biodiversity."
With 1998 being the Year
of the Ocean, NOAA solutes the innovative actions of marine
stewards to protect and sustain the ocean and coastal resources.
For more information, call Justin
Kenney at (301) 713-3140. Visit Sanctuary
News Online.
YEAR OF THE OCEAN CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
September 19 - October 9 Coast Weeks
October 13 - 16 APEC Ocean Conference, Honolulu,
HI
October 6 - November 10 Smithsonian Forum — The Ocean:
Earth's Last Frontier
November 16 - 19, 1998 Ocean Community Conference '98
- Annual meeting of the Marine Technology Society (MTS), Baltimore, Maryland
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