Revised Management Plan-
December 2007 (4.02 MB pdf))

Click here to download the plan in sections.

Agreements referenced in the Revised Management Plan:

• Co-Trustees Agreement for Cooperative Management
  
• Cooperative Enforcement Agreement
• Agreement for the Coordination of Civil Claims
• Protocol for Cooperative Fisheries Management
• Certification / Authorization of Permits Agreement

1996 Management Plan

• Volume 1 (4.7 MB pdf))
• Volume 2 (1.3 MB pdf)
• Volume 3 (576 K pdf)
  • Appendix L (22 MB pdf))
  • Appendix M (15.4 MB pdf))

Pursuant to both federal and state requirements, the National Marine Sanctuary Program has completed its review of the management plan for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS or Sanctuary). In 1992, when Congress reauthorized the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, it required all National Marine Sanctuaries to review their management plans every five years. The Florida Governor and Cabinet, as trustees for the State, also mandated a five-year review of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) Management Plan in their January 28, 1997 resolution.

This document is a report on the results of NOAA's five-year review of the strategies and activities detailed in the 1996 Final Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It serves two primary purposes: 1) to update readers on the outcomes of successfully implemented strategies - in short, accomplishments that were merely plans on paper in 1996; and, 2) to disseminate useful information about the Sanctuary and its management strategies, activities and products. The hope is that this information, which charts the next 5 years of Sanctuary management, will enhance the communication and cooperation so vital to protecting important national resources.

How can I get a hard copy of the draft revised management plan?
You may request one to be shipped to you by contacting: floridakeys@noaa.gov

Management Changes Resulting from the Review New Organization
Like the 1997 management plan, this document is arranged around a series of action plans, which articulate the programs and projects used to address identified management issues. Each action plan is composed of strategies sharing common objectives and activities, which are the specific actions the Sanctuary and its partners will implement. In this revised management plan, the action plans have been grouped into five management divisions to improve organization of the document and to further emphasize the ultimate goals for each action plan. The five management divisions are: 1) Sanctuary Science; 2) Education, Outreach and Stewardship; 3) Enforcement and Resource Protection; 4) Resource Threat Reduction; and, 5) Administration, Community Relations and Policy Coordination. The 2007 Plan provides: improved descriptions of programs and strategies based on over 15 years of management experience and recommendations, verification that the initial goals and objectives developed in the original plan were on target and appropriate, and the inclusion of performance measures to allow managers to gauge programmatic success.

The 1996 Final Management Plan
After the initial six-year FKNMS planning process, a comprehensive management plan for the Sanctuary was implemented in July 1997. The management plan focused on ten action plans which were largely non-regulatory in nature and involved educating citizens and visitors, using volunteers to build stewardship for local marine resources, appropriately marking channels and waterways, installing and maintaining mooring buoys for vessel use, surveying maritime heritage resources, and protecting water quality. In addition to action plans, the 1997 management plan designated five types of marine zones to reduce pressures in heavily used areas, protect critical habitats and species, and reduce user conflicts. The efficacy of the marine zones is monitored Sanctuary-wide under the Research and Monitoring Action Plan.

Implementing regulations for the FKNMS became effective July 1, 1997. The 1996 management plan was published in three volumes: Volume I is the Sanctuary management plan itself (which this document updates); Volume II describes the process used to develop the draft management alternatives, including environmental and socioeconomic impact analyses of the alternatives, and the environmental impact statement; Volume III contains appendices, including the texts of Federal and State legislation that designate and implement the Sanctuary. All three volumes of the 1996 management plan are available on the Sanctuary Web site (floridakeys.noaa.gov/) and from the Sanctuary's office (305-809-4700.) Volume II was not revised as part of this review. The Revised Management Plan replaces Volumes I and III.

If you do not wish to download the entire plan, in this section the plan has been broken down into the individual chapters and action plans.