Title 43—Public Lands: Interior--Volume 1
PART 15—KEY LARGO CORAL REEF PRESERVE
§ 15.1   Scope.
The State of Florida has established a similar coral reef preserve on an area situated shoreward of a line three geographic miles from Key Largo and contiguous to the Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve. It is the policy of the Department of the Interior to cooperate with the State of Florida and its conservation agencies in the preservation of the reef.
§ 15.2   Removal or destruction of natural features and marine life.
No person shall destroy, injure, deface, mar, move, dig, harmfully disturb or remove from the Preserve any beach sand, gravel or minerals, corals, sea feathers and fans, shells and shell fish starfishes or other marine invertebrates, seaweeds, grasses, or any soil, rock, artifacts, stones or other materials. No person shall cut, carve, injure, mutilate, move, displace or break off any bottom formation or growth. Nor shall any person dig in, or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of this Preserve. No rope, wire or other contrivance shall be attached to any coral, rock or other formation, whether temporary or permanent in character or use.
§ 15.3   Dredging, filling, excavating and building activities.
No dredging, excavating, or filling operations of any kind are permitted in the Preserve and no materials of any sort may be deposited in or on the waters thereof. No building or structure of any kind, whether permanent or temporary, may be constructed or built, and no public service facility may be constructed or extended into, upon or across the Preserve.
§ 15.4   Refuse and polluting substances.
No person shall dump or deposit in or on the waters of this Preserve any oily liquids or wastes, acids or other deleterious chemicals, bottles, broken glass paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste garbage, refuse or other debris or polluting substance.
§ 15.5   Wrecks.
No person shall willfully destroy molest, remove, deface, displace, or tamper with any wrecks, parts of wrecks or any cargo pertaining to such wrecks within the Preserve in such manner as to injure or destroy any coral formation.
§ 15.6   Markers.
No person shall willfully mark, deface or injure in any way, or displace, remove or tamper with any Preserve signs, notices or placards, whether temporary or permanent, or with any monuments, stakes, posts or other boundary markers.
§ 15.7   Fishing.
(a) Spear fishing within the boundaries or confines of this Preserve is prohibited.
(b) The use of poisons, electric charges, or other such methods is prohibited.
§ 15.8   Skin diving.
Diving with camera, or diving for observation and pleasure is permitted and encouraged within the Preserve.
§ 15.9   Collection of scientific specimens.
Collection of natural objects and marine life for educational purposes and for scientific and industrial research shall be done only in accordance with the terms of written permits granted by the Director of the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Such permits shall be issued only to persons representing reputable scientific, research, or educational institutions. No permits will be granted for specimens the removal of which would disturb the remaining natural features or mar their appearance. All permits are subject to cancellation without notice at the discretion of the issuing official. Permits shall be for a limited term and may be renewed at the discretion of the issuing official.
§ 15.10   Operation of watercraft.
No watercraft shall be operated in such a manner as to strike or otherwise cause damage to the natural features of the Preserve. Except in case of emergency endangering life or property, no anchor shall be cast or dragged in such a way as to damage any reef structure.
§ 15.11   Explosives and dangerous weapons.
No person shall carry, use or possess within the Preserve firearms of any description, air rifles, spring guns, bows and arrows, slings, spear guns, harpoons, or any other kind of weapon potentially harmful to the reef structure. The use of such weapons from beyond the boundaries of the Preserve and aimed or directed into the Preserve is forbidden. The use or possession of explosives within the Preserve is prohibited.
§ 15.12   Closing of Preserve.
The Preserve may be closed to public use in the event of emergency conditions encouraged within the Preserve.
§ 15.13   Report of accidents.
Accidents involving injury to life or property shall be reported as soon as possible by the person or persons involved to the officer in charge of the Preserve.
§ 15.14   Applicability of laws.
In areas to which this part pertains all Federal Acts shall be enforced insofar as they are applicable, and the laws and regulations of the State of Florida shall be invoked and enforced in accordance with the Act of June 25, 1948 (62 Stat. 686; 18 U.S.C. 13)