Welcome to Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve, a vital and ecologically significant area located in the heart of the Florida Keys. Established in 1969, this aquatic preserve spans a pristine 5,400-acre expanse of coastal waters and serves as one of only two aquatic preserves located entirely within the Florida Keys. The preserve is recognized for its exceptional water quality, diverse marine habitats and biological significance.
If you're looking to step back in time, get away from the hustle and bustle, view wildlife in their natural habitat and immerse yourself in untouched Florida beauty, you've come to the right place. Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve encompasses the crystal clear, spring-fed Silver River and a 20-mile stretch of the dark-water Oklawaha River. The aquatic preserve provides a window into the rich cultural history of Florida.
Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve is a quiet gem of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. Multiple conservation lands surround the main stem of the creek, protecting the waterway and providing access to recreational opportunities.
Each of the five aquatic preserves within the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves offers a unique visit of protected submerged state lands, healthy mangrove shorelines, seagrass beds and oyster bars. Southwest Florida’s subtropical climate is home to a variety of animals as well, in addition to migrating birds.
Managing natural resources in Florida’s most densely populated county poses some challenges, but it also offers unique resources for those management activities. Numerous individuals, organizations and academic institutions have come together to help restore and protect these especially valuable natural features in an urban landscape.
The 5.7 miles of Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve offers spectacular crystal-clear spring water, thick and diverse vegetation below the water's surface and fish, turtles and otters, oh my! Visitors can enjoy the Rainbow River via motorboat, kayak, canoe or tubing, but may I recommend an elevated view atop a stand-up paddleboard!
Rocky Bayou Aquatic Preserve is one of Florida’s smallest aquatic preserves, but that doesn’t diminish its diverse population of a variety of large fish and additional aquatic species.
Sincerely,
Paige Plier
St. Andrews Aquatic Preserve provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the beautiful waters of the Gulf of America and St. Andrews Bay while remaining close to the bustling cultural centers of Panama City and Panama City Beach. Take a dolphin viewing tour, snorkel or scuba dive on The Jetties in St. Andrews State Park and take the shuttle to Shell Island for a day of shelling and sunbathing.
The Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve is one of the gems of Tampa Bay. It is easily accessible from around the bay, as well as for visitors from the I-4 corridor. Because of extremely shallow water depths, local knowledge is important outside marked channels.
Sincerely,
Randy Runnels
Welcome to the Cape Romano-Ten Thousand Island Aquatic Preserve. I am very proud to be able to oversee the intrinsic natural resources that our community gets to enjoy each and every day. We have a vast diversity of plants and animals that call this aquatic preserve their home.