Project Description:
The Eppley Center for Parks and Public Land designed, developed and hosts an online education course for boaters in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The course content focuses on boater safety and resource protection, specifically the coral habitats. 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. It also contains the nation's only coral reef that lies adjacent to the continent and one of the largest seagrass communities in this hemisphere that are most impacted by boating. Impacts of vessel groundings and prop-scarring on Sanctuary resources served as an impetus for the creation of the FKNMS.
The overall goal of this project is to develop and deploy a free, accessible online boater-education program for boaters in the FKNMS marine waters. The objectives for the FKNMS Boater Education Course are to:
• Increase boaters' understanding of the challenges of navigating Sanctuary waters and the importance of its marine resources;
• Provide knowledge of laws, regulations and policies that affect marine resources and visitor use of these resources; and
• Engage learners through interactive online learning that promotes content retention.
This uniquely developed program funded by NOAA and other non-profit partners has many outcomes that are anticipated, including:
• Watercraft operators will apply course content with respect to marine resource protection, including but not limited to seagrass and coral habitats, threatened and endangered species, and boating, zoning and access allowances while in the FKNMS
• Watercraft operators will observe proper safety precautions, and observe all legal and ethical obligations while in the FKNMS
• Multiple audiences, including Spanish-speaking boaters, recreational boaters, commercial boaters, and others will voluntarily complete the FKNMS Online Boater Education program
• Marine resources maintain or improve their overall condition and health as measured by NOAA and other researchers or observation.
Keyword(s):
Environmental, Coral Reef Protection, Recreational boating, Safe boating
