NOAA Releases Final Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

After years of devastating impacts to the marine environment in the Florida Keys, the long-awaited Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be published as a final rule in January, following today’s release of the final environmental impact statement and management plan. The documents outline NOAA’s regulatory recommendations, marking a critical milestone in the long-term efforts to restore the sanctuary’s delicate ecosystem.

“I would say the end is in sight but it’s really a new beginning,” said Matt Stout, acting superintendent of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “The Restoration Blueprint represents real solutions drawn from over a decade of research, technical expertise, consultations with partner agencies, and public input. It is the beginning of a comprehensive recovery effort that the sanctuary desperately needs.”

Hope and Perseverance

The story of restoring the delicate coral reefs, lush seagrasses, colorful sponge gardens, and winding mangrove forests of the sanctuary to a healthy and sustainable state is one about hope and perseverance.

While perspectives vary, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Chair, Ben Daughtry points out that “The Restoration Blueprint isn’t perfect, but it represents a 13-year effort with thousands of man hours dedicated to making things better.” Daughtry was born and raised in the Keys and is the owner and president of a public educational aquarium facility and an aquarium supply business in Marathon.