Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Within the sanctuary, divers and snorkelers have many opportunities to explore the history and heritage of the Florida Keys. Thousands of years of human activity in the area have left shipwrecks, navigation aids and other structures and sites on the seafloor. While many shipwrecks are easily identified as historical resources, fragmentary remains — such as pottery, wooden timbers, iron spikes and glassware — also offer evidence of the past. Unlike other natural resources in the sanctuary, historical resources are nonrenewable and cannot regrow. Help ensure this heritage remains for future generations by not disturbing or removing historical resources.

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The habitats found today in FKNMS were shaped by the area’s unique hydrogeologic history. The chain of islands that make up the Florida Keys is composed of limestone — remnants of ancient coral reefs in the Upper Keys and sandbars in the Lower Keys — that formed during a period of higher sea levels about 125,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene Epoch.

During the last ice age, around 100,000 years ago, sea levels dropped, exposing the ancient coral reefs and sandbars. Over time, these features fossilized into the rock that now forms the island chain. The two dominant rock formations in the Keys are Key Largo Limestone and Miami Oolite.

At that time, Florida’s land mass was much larger than it is today, and the area now known as Florida Bay was forested. As glaciers and polar ice caps began melting about 15,000 years ago, rising seas and tidal forces reshaped the geography of the Keys and surrounding areas. This dynamic history has created an extraordinary range of interconnected and interdependent habitats.

Within FKNMS is North America’s only coral barrier reef. These reefs often grow in a spur-and-groove structure. Viewed from above, this resembles a series of coral “spur” ridges separated by “grooved” channels filled with sediment or rubble. Smaller patch reefs can also be found between the islands and the outer reef.

Florida’s Coral Reef has formed over thousands of years — just a few centimeters at a time — through the work of many calcifying organisms. Every fish and invertebrate in the reef community plays a role in sustaining it. Hard corals, sea fans and sponges create hiding and living spaces. Urchins, snails and herbivorous fish help keep the reef clean by grazing on algae. Large predators patrol the reef and help maintain balance in the food web.

The reef’s foundation is built by hard corals that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons. These tiny animals grow slowly — only centimeters per year — and are highly sensitive to environmental changes.

The Florida Keys ecosystem also includes 1.5 million acres of seagrass meadows — one of the world’s largest contiguous seagrass habitats. These meadows are among the region’s most productive ecosystems. Queen conch, Bahama sea stars, manatees, green sea turtles and egrets are just a few of the many animals that depend on seagrass. Protecting these habitats is a sanctuary priority.

The trees seen along the shores of the Keys are mangroves. Coral reefs, hard-bottom habitats, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests are all ecologically connected. Many commercially and recreationally important reef species use mangroves as nursery habitats, finding refuge in their tangled roots. Mangroves, which are salt-tolerant trees, line more than 1,800 miles of shoreline within the sanctuary — that’s nearly the distance from Key West to Maine.
 

Wildlife Habitat and Ecosystem Type: 

• Coral patch reefs
• Spur-and-groove coral reef
• Coral reef crest
• Coral back reef
• Coral fore reef
• Reef rubble
• Scattered coral hardbottom
• Seagrass (continuous)
• Seagrass (discontinuous)
• Unconsolidated
• Artificial habitat

Nesting and Migrating Birds
Numerous roosting areas and rookeries for a wide variety of sea birds can be found throughout the Florida Keys. 
Mammals
Dolphins and manatees are commonly found within the Sanctuary. 
Reptiles
All five species of Atlantic sea turtles are found within the Sanctuary, with many nesting at beaches adjacent to Sanctuary waters. 
Fish
A very wide variety of both tropical and sub-tropical fish species can be found in the Sanctuary. 
Other Species
Two-thirds of Florida’s Coral Reef is located within the Sanctuary, home to countless species of corals and other invertebrates. 

The Florida Keys are beautiful year-round.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Bahia Honda State Park both have concessionaires that offer trips into FKNMS.

Outside the state parks, many businesses focus on ecotourism. FKNMS' Blue Star program is a voluntary recognition program created to reduce the impact of divers, snorkelers and anglers on the region’s ecosystems. Learn more at sanctuaries.noaa.gov/bluestar/operators.html.

Yes. Please do not let your pet run free in areas not designated for pets, and please pick up after your pet to avoid hazardous pathogens in our coastal waters. 

Follow current FWC saltwater fishing regulations.

Follow current FWC boating regulations.

All other incidents can be reported to the Southeast Florida Action Network. 

Seagrass is protected within aquatic preserves; avoid shallow waters and raise motor if over seagrass. Damage to seagrass can result in a fine up to $1,000. 

Call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

ADA accommodations are specific to each access point and the managing entity for that site.

Donations toward public efforts that qualify through Florida Department of Environmental Protection standards of ethics are accepted. 

Volunteer opportunities can be found at https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/volunteer_opportunities/.