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Remediation of Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Tech Report 405, Inc

April 8, 2014

Connorlynn Gaffney

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Abstract

Coral reefs are an integral part of the world ecosystem, but are in danger

from human actions. Coral destruction is caused by changes in the environment

which can lead to mass bleaching incidents. Bleaching is the process of expelling

symbiotic zooxanthelle bacteria and weakens the coral leaving it susceptible to

breakage and disease. In order to protect corals from the detrimental environmental

impacts they have been subjected to, the United States created fourteen national

marine sanctuaries which provide a safe haven for those corals in danger, one of

which, is located in the Florida Keys.

Introduction

Coral reefs are a vital piece of the earth’s ecosystem, but due to changing

atmospheric conditions they are steadily declining in health and population

throughout the world. The decline of coral reefs has lead to the establishment of

various governmental procedures in an attempt to aid in the protection and

preservation of the remaining reef systems including the creation of the National

Marine Sanctuary Program in the United States. Under this program, there are

numerous federally designated sanctuaries located along the coasts of the United

States, including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary which is located off the

coast of Florida and Mexico.

The coral reefs in this community face various threats such as; trawling,

damage from boat anchors, ecotourism, poaching, and bleaching due to pollution,

and increased salinity and ocean temperature from climate change. Although all

forms of coral damage are important, bleaching is the most detrimental to coral

populations.

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Coral bleaching is the process by which the coral expels Zooxanthelle algae

from its tissues (NOAA). The zooxanthelle live symbiotically within the coral and

help by feeding the corals through the process of photosynthesis (Littler 2006).

Once expelled, the corals must work harder to obtain the same amount of food

necessary for its life processes and growth. The coral can survive a bleaching event,

but are significantly weakened require immediate remediation efforts if they are

expected to recover. Not only are the corals required to work harder, but they also

become more susceptible to mortality once bleached (Glynn 1996).

Bleaching is caused by increased stressors in the environment; it can be

something as slight as a one to two degree change in ocean temperature or salinity.

With the increasing effects of climate change, coral bleaching is becoming more

common and harder to counteract or prevent.

Trawling is another form of coral damage, but is caused directly by human

actions. Trawling is a process used by large fishing corporations. The process

usually consists of dragging large, heavy nets across the ocean floor pulled along by

a boat above the water, and aided by the use of wheels and large metal plates on

the sea floor (Bottom Trawling). When dragging across the bottom of the sea, the

nets destroy any life forms rooted to the bottom, and catch fish species other than

the one’s intended. The excess fish are usually thrown back, but after that trauma

they have a high rate of mortality. The combination of physical destruction of corals

from the nets and the decrease in species on reefs both cause problems within the

reef system as well as the ocean community as a whole.

Similar to the process of trawling is destruction from anchors. Coral provides

a stable holdfast for the anchors, but cuts from embedded anchors cause

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deterioration and prevents growth in the corals. Constant breakage of coral over

time can cause irreparable breakage. Due to the slow growth rate of coral, any

damage inflicted can take years to repair itself to the point it was at prior to the

damage.

Ecotourism can either help or harm the corals. If done correctly with the

proper guidance, ecotourism can lead to greater appreciation and protection of

corals, but without guidance tourists can cause damage to the reefs. Tourists do not

always realize the detrimental effects of breaking pieces of coral or how delicate the

structures are. Accidently bumping into corals can cause breakage which is difficult

for the coral itself to repair. This is different than on land, if an individual bumps into

a tree, the tree is fine and the person is generally hurt more than the tree itself, but

coral is not strong in the same way the trees are. This is also where the problem

with accidental poaching is encountered. Tourists’ breaking off pieces of the reef as

souvenirs causes enough damage to kill the parent coral. In direct relation to

accidental poaching, is intentional poaching which occurs when coral or wildlife is

intentionally taken for sale or personal purposes.

Pollution is caused by increased ecotourism and general wastes from every

day human activities. Pollution can be in the form of manmade materials in the

ocean or from processes such as run-off. Plastic bags can cause suffocation of corals

and fish which depletes the oxygen supply stunting growth, and if depletion occurs

over a long enough period of time, it will cause mortality. Run-off from farms

containing fertilizers can also cause negative effects in the coral’s environment.

While it will help add nutrients to the system and increase algae growth, too much

can cause algae blooms which can block sunlight to reefs thus depleting the amount

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of photosynthesis and reducing available nutrients to corals.

Overview

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is one of fourteen areas across

the country designated as part of the National Marine Sanctuary program, which is

a Federal Government initiative. The main objective of this program is to preserve

and protect natural resources in certain coastal locations that support high levels of

biodiversity.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary was designated as a protected

region in 1990, and covers an area of just under 3,000 square miles of water

surrounding the islands of the Florida Keys. The main objective of this facility, and

the overall objective of the Sanctuary program, is to protect the marine resources

that exist within its’ boundaries.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, however, also has a more

localized goal of generating an interest in those marine resources amongst the local

people. As a secondary goal, the Sanctuary attempts to facilitate an understanding

of the importance of maintaining the biodiversity that is found in the area, as well

as both the potential and realized impacts on the local residents.

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Aside from working with the local people, the sanctuary administers a wide

variety of projects to benefit the local ecosystem. Most of their current efforts focus

on the protection and conservation of the local Keys’ plants and animals, with

special attention paid to the coral reef communities, as they are a critical

component to the area’s ecosystem. Many of their projects attempt to protect the

most coveted local plants of the area, including mangroves and seagrass, due to

the significant role they play in the Keys’ ecosystem and economy.

The Sanctuary monitors the quality and condition of the ocean water and the

seafloor, as well as incorporate shipwrecks and artificial reefs to encourage species

inhabitation. A resulting increase in species inhabitation would benefit the

biodiversity and health of the sanctuary and ocean as a whole.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary also offers visitors many

recreational opportunities within its’ boundaries that encourage people to take an

interest in the surrounding aquatic ecosystem. Some of the activities available

include swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. These activities are offered in the theory

that a positive ecotourism experience can lead to increased interest and support of

coral reef systems.

The sanctuary has many programs for the benefit of corals including; an

Injury Assessment, Research & Monitoring, Coral Rescue, Coral Nursery, and Coral

Restoration program, the latter of which is the most popular. During the restoration

process, scientists work towards the goal of restoring the coral and surrounding

Figure 1. Map of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

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area to a healthy condition as it would be without disturbance as quickly as

possible. These efforts typically involve cleaning up debris from the site, and/or

reattaching pieces of the coral with a special cement or epoxy that hardens

underwater and eventually dissolves once the coral is secure again. Restoration

efforts are a critical component to the activities performed at the Sanctuary due to

the highly public nature of the reefs. Scientists monitor the sites for years after

project completion in the hopes that they can gain valuable knowledge on the

effectiveness of a various restoration techniques, as well as the long-term impact on

the surrounding Keys’ area.

The Sanctuary expands is restoration projects expand into the Artificial Reef

program. An artificial reef is a structure of safe man-made materials placed on the

ocean floor to attract marine species to the area. It encourages species inhabitation

and coral growth. As part of this program, the Sanctuary utilizes previously sunken

shipwrecks and other debris that reside on the seafloor within its boundaries which

will not harm animals, but will provide a safe and porous surface for reef expansion.

The Artificial Reef program at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is

unique because no other designated National Marine Sanctuary is authorized to

have such a program. Artificial Reef programs are discouraged at the other National

Sanctuary sites due to the strict regulations in place regarding what is allowed to be

on the ocean floor within the sanctuary boundaries. The Florida Keys Sanctuary was

allowed to continue their program due to the amount of shipwrecks and other

objects in the sanctuary waters prior to its’ Federal designation as a protected

region in 1990. The ecosystem (and the natural resources) of the Florida Keys area,

and the tourism that it generates, holds a large stake in the local economy. Many

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people’s livelihoods depend on this location retaining its’ high level of biodiversity,

though they might not even be aware of it. The culture, and the general

atmosphere of the Keys, is famous for being a beautiful, tropical setting that is full

of life which is important to the people in the Florida Keys.

Understanding of the Problem

Since 1990 when congress designated the Florida Keys a National Marine

Sanctuary, a close partnership between the federal government and the State of

Florida has developed Sanctuary planning methods and management plans (Suman

1997).  There are several different organizations, committees, and groups that are

involved with the decision process when it comes to the well being of the Sanctuary

and the surrounding community.  These groups vary from the federal government

all the way down to local committees with numerous others in between.  The

management plan and interagency memoranda of agreement visibly partitions

government functions such as; enforcement, permitting, research, and education

Figure 2. A ship sunk in Key Largo Florida shows the biodiversity on introduced structures to coral reef systems.

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between Federal and State agencies (Suman 1997).  The Florida Keys Marine

Sanctuary represents a great example of integrated coastal zone management

amongst varied agencies in an effort to protect the Sanctuary.

Starting at the top of the decision authority ladder, the National Marine

Sanctuary Act is a piece of legislation that provides the Sanctuary with a foundation

for Federal and State coordination in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

(Suman 1997).  The policy is to develop and implement coordinated plans for the

protection and management with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies as

well as Native American organizations, International organizations, and other

private and public interests groups concerned with the health and resilience of the

Sanctuary (Suman 1997).

After the National Marine Sanctuary Act, the Interagency Management

Committee has control. It is compromised of state agencies that head coastal zone

management with the assistance of Federal authorities (Suman 1997).  The

Interagency Management Committee represents four key executive offices including

the Florida Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Department of

Environmental Regulation, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and the

Governor’s office (Suman 1997).

Beneath the Interagency Management Committee is the Interagency Core

Group, which gives a voice to Florida’s government in the creation of the Florida

Keys National Marine Sanctuary (Suman 1997).  Resource managers from Federal,

State, and local agencies formed a Central Government Sanctuary Planning Body to

prioritize management strategies that developed from public scoping meetings,

coordinate management options, and develop coherent options for the Florida Keys

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National Marine Sanctuary (Suman 1997).

        Following the Interagency Management Committee is the Monroe County

government, whom, with assistance from the Florida Keys National Marine

Sanctuary, has focused their efforts on protecting benthic habitats, improving water

quality, and implementing storm water and wastewater infrastructure (Sleaseman,

2009).  Monroe County has also created no discharge zones, and manages sensitive

land habitat to promote the well being of the Sanctuary (Sleaseman, 2009).

        Next in line is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

which participated in the development of the management plan and environmental

impact statement (Morin, 2001).  It also took the lead on responsibilities such as

implementation of zoning, education & outreach, enforcement, regulation, and

research (Morin, 2001).  NOAA provides the bulk of funding for the ecological

reserve, and special use areas within the Sanctuary (Morin, 2001).

Last is the Sanctuary Advisory Council, which assists the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration in the development and implementation of

management plans to ensure that the interests of all user groups are adequately

represented in the Sanctuary planning process and implementation of the plan

(Morin, 2001).  The Sanctuary Advisory Council allows the public to participate in

the management of the Sanctuary while also receiving education on the Sanctuary

(Morin, 2001).

Findings/Discussion

The locals living around the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are very

active in the community and decision making process associated with the sanctuary

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by becoming a committee member. The committee members’ jobs range from

advising the government both at the state and federal levels as to what the

regulation should be for the sanctuary, to educating the public, and exploring ways

the government can protect the reef community.    

The involvement of the public in the actual creation of regulations can be

initiated in different ways, including consensus based approaches or the traditional

top-down approach which consists of the government releasing the first draft of

regulations. Once the first draft has been out for a given amount of time, the

publics’ input is gathered through either written responses or a public hearing.

Then, the government takes the public comments, redrafts the regulations and

releases the final draft. Different approaches were taken in the creation of the

Water Quality Protection Plan, the designation of No Discharge Zones with state

lands in Monroe County and the sanctuary, and the addition of the Tortugas Marine

Sanctuary to the Florida Keys Sanctuary.

        One of the more traditional top-down successes was the creation of the

Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP). The WQPP was created at the same time

as the sanctuary. It was drafted by the Secretary of Commerce, the Florida

Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Correction plans for pollution across the sanctuary were created and control

measures were put in place. The plan also created a Water Quality Steering

Committee which creates reports for Congress on the progress, modifications

needed, and recommendations suggested of the sanctuary and water quality (Morin

2001). This group is made up of local government, federal government, and three

concerned citizens and led to a decrease in water pollution as well as an increase in

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protection for the water in and around the sanctuary (Morin 2001).        

Another success of the sanctuary was the creation of No-Discharge Zones.

The No Discharge zones were created in 2002 with help from the sanctuary, local

and federal governments. The impetus for this action was the release of the Report

of the Water Quality Protection Program in 1996 (Delaney 2003). This report blamed

the dumping of wastes into the sanctuary for an increase in pollution in the area.

Thus in 2002, the Florida state governor, with support from the Board of County

Commissioners in Monroe County requested that the EPA designate the state waters

as No-Discharge Zones (NOAA Press Release). This process only involved the public

who sat on the Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee, and the

requests for public comment. The requests for public comment showed that the No

Discharge Zones were supported by a vast majority of the public, 97 percent

(Delaney 2003). This model needs to be taken up by other national marine

sanctuaries, in order to ensure the best protection for the wildlife intended to be

safe in these areas.

Implications

Due to the delicate nature of the marine life, the Florida Keys National Marine

Sanctuary has implemented many regulations for the protection of the species

living there. The enforced regulations put a limit on the interactions tourists and

locals can have with the area protected by the sanctuary. Regulations forbid

touching the coral or wildlife in anyway and go so far as to specify against moving,

removing, taking, injuring, breaking, cutting, or possessing the coral and wildlife

protected by the sanctuary. On top of regulations for personal interactions with

coral and wildlife, the rules extend to cover pollution and boating regulations.

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Nowhere in the sanctuary can untreated sewage, trash, exotic species or electrical

charges be released. These rules help to protect not only the small amount of ocean

space covered by this sanctuary, but also the rest of the ocean by preventing the

spread of pollution.

The rules which effect people the most are in regards to boating and diving

regulations. Vessels cannot be operated in a manner that could strike or injure

coral, seagrass, or other immobile organisms which are attached to the seabed; this

includes anchoring on living coral in water less than 40 feet deep, although

anchoring on hard bottom is allowed (68B-42 F.A.C.). These regulations place a

restriction on the public, but are for the benefit of the ocean community, and only

apply to the area covered by the sanctuary. A full text version of the Sanctuary’s

regulations can be found at www.ecfr.gov.

Conclusion

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a supreme example of the type

of protection that can be offered to wildlife of an area, especially when the local

community is supportive. Programs such as this should be implemented in other

areas to the protection, rehabilitation, and maintenance of natural wildlife.

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References

Bottom Trawling. Greenpeace International. Greenpeace. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/bottom-trawling/. Doubilet , David . Artificial Reefs: Sunken Ships, Tanks And Other Underwater Paradises

From National Geographic . N.d. Relics to Reefs , Key Largo .Huffington Post. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. Office of National Marine

Sanctuaries National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (2011). Marine zoning and regulatory review shaping the future of Florida Keys marine conservation. Retrieved from website: http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/review/documents/zone-summary.pdf

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Website  http://floridakeys.noaa.govFranklin, Erik C. M/V JACQUELYN L: Coral Reef Restoration Monitoring Report,

Monitoring Events 2004-2005, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Monroe County, Florida. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series NMSP 06-09. October 2006. PDF.

Glynn, P. W. (1996), Coral reef bleaching: facts, hypotheses and implications. Global

Change Biology, 2(6): 495–509. Littler, M. M., Littler, D. S., & Brooks, B. L. (2006). Harmful algae on tropical coral reefs:

Bottom-up eutrophication and top-down herbivory. Harmful Algae, 5(5), 565-585.National Marine Sanctuary System. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,(2010).

Strategy for clarifying enforcement needs and testing enforcement measures. Retrieved from website: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/protect/pdfs/enforcement_strategy.pdf

Sleasman, K. (2009): Coordination between Monroe County and the Florida Keys

National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), Ocean & Coastal Management, 52, 69–75.Suman, Daniel O. (1997): The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: A Case Study an

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Innovative Federal/State Partnership in Marine Resource Management, Coastal Management, 25:3, 293-324

Suman, D., M. Shivlani and J. Milon. (1999): Perceptions and Attitudes Regarding

Marine Reserves: A Comparison of Stakeholder Groups in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Ocean & Coastal Management, 42, 1019-1040.

What is coral bleaching? . (2013, February 21). NOAA's National Ocean Service.

Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bl