Project Description:
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) protects 2,900 square miles and supports over 6,000 species of plants, fishes, and invertebrates. The area is home to multiple state and federally protected species, and is an important stopover location for many migratory birds (ONMS, 2011). It contains the nations only coral reef that lies adjacent to the continent and one of the largest seagrass communities in this hemisphere (FKNMS, 2007). Congress designated the FKNMS in 1990 and called it the marine equivalent of tropical rain forests in that they support high levels of biological diversity, are fragile and easily susceptible to damage from human activities, and possess high value to human beings if properly conserved (FKNMS Protection Act, 1990).
There are five species of seagrasses in the Florida Keys; the majority of the seagrass coverage is turtle grass, manatee grass, and shoal grass (ONMS, 2011). The seagrass beds that carpet most of the south Florida shelf, including the sanctuary, are part of the largest documented contiguous seagrass beds on Earth (ONMS, 2011). Seagrasses in these vital shallow zones (flats) of the FKNMS are much less extensive and are the habitats most impacted by boating.
Impacts of vessel groundings and prop-scarring on Sanctuary resources had been a concern of Congress since before the creation of the FKNMS and served as an impetus for the creation of the FKNMS. The years leading up to the Florida Keys designation had shown the need for urgent action to stem vessel groundings (Chandler & Gillelan, 2004). Indeed, prop scarring and vessel-groundings continue to be a problem today, causing significant damage to seagrass beds. Hundreds of vessel groundings a year are reported within the Sanctuary (FKNMS, 2007), and injuries to seagrass caused by small boats are also a chronic problem. Monroe County has approximately 30,000 acres of significantly scarred seagrass beds - more than any other county in Florida. If the prop scar is deep enough, it will require filling to allow rhizomes to grow across the un-vegetated gap (ONMS, 2011).
Alteration of, or construction on, the seabed is a prohibited activity under the federal regulations for the FKNMS, with very limited exceptions. Those exceptions do not include prop-scarring or vessel groundings (15 CFR 922.163 (a)(3)). The regulations also specifically prohibit operating a vessel in a manner as to strike or otherwise injure coral, seagrass, or any other immobile organism attached to the seabed, including, but not limited to, operating a vessel in such a manner as to cause prop-scarring 15 CFR 922.163 (a)(5). Despite these prohibitions, vessel groundings and damage to submerged Sanctuary resources are a major management issue in the Sanctuary (FKNMS, 2007).
Goal and Objectives: The overall goal of this project is is to develop a state-of-the-art, accessible, online boater-education program for boaters in the FKNMS marine waters.The objectives for the FKNMS Boater Education are:
Increasing boaters understanding of the challenges of navigating Sanctuary waters and the importance of its marine resources;
Providing knowledge of laws, regulations and policies that affect marine resources and visitor use of these resources; and
Engaging users through interactive online learning that promotes content retention.
Keyword(s):
EPA, FKNMS, Boater Education, E-Course
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information, Continuing Education/Community Training
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Another State, Single-County
