Be considerate and efficient when launching your personal watercraft. Prepare your craft beforehand, and perform all safety checks before you get to the water. Wait your turn in line and launch quickly and quietly. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, created in November 1990, is a nationally unique 2800 square nautical mile area containing one of the world's major barrier reefs. The health of this beautiful reef depends on adjacent seagrass flats and mangroves and our wise use of the land.
Seagrasses are the most common vegetation in shallow waters.
Seagrass meadows or flats are among the most productive marine habitats in the world. Hardbottom habitats are those characterized by exposed or thinly covered bedrock or cemented sediment and rubble. They are abundant in shallow waters, and fish, lobster and turtles feed in hardbottom areas. Mangroves are the dominant tree along the shorelines and winding channels of the keys. Mangrove branches are rookeries, or nesting areas, for coastal birds.