Where is Florida's
coral reef?

North America's only living coral barrier reef lies approximately six miles seaward of the Florida Keys in water that are typically fifteen to thirty feet deep. The reef tract starts near Miami and extends southwest to the Dry Tortugas, about sixty-seven miles west of Key West. Patch reefs continue up through the Palm Beaches.

The great coral reefs of the Florida Keys are the only true coral reefs in the continental waters of the United States. The Florida reef tract, composed of outer reefs and patch reefs, contains over fifty species of corals comprising over eighty percent of all the coral reef species in the Tropical Western Atlantic and over one hundred fifty species of fish.

The Florida Keys hosts several million snorkelers, divers, fisherman and boaters every year. So many people have become captivated by coral reefs that Florida is the number one dive destination in the world with ten times the number of the second highest rated diving area, Australia, an area of reef ten times larger. The coral reef is being destroyed by the sheer numbers of visitors.

The Florida keys hosts several million snorkelers, divers, fishermen, and boaters every year. We are literally "loving our reefs to death." The coral reefs are in danger of being destroyed by the sheer numbers of visitors.

Even the slightest touch can crush the fragile living coral polyp, exposing the entire coral head to infection and disease. Visitors that touch, stand, or scrape the coral with fins, hands or equipment damage a coral that has grown for hundreds of years. Corals typically grow only one-half inch per year. The scrape of a fin can introduce bacteria that may lead to the death of a coralhead that is hundreds of years old.

Anchors destroy wide areas of coral by the sheer impact. Anchor in sandy areas, away from coral and rubble areas of the reef. Use mooring buoys, if available. Once damaged, corals living in waters that are less than pristine are easily overcome with nuisance algaes, that outcompete the corals for habitat.

Centuries of coral growth can be broken into fragments in the first moments of collision with a big large ship. Living coral is crushed by the sheer weight of the vessel. Cargo or fuel spilled onto the reef can do additional damage. Large freighters and ships that accidentally run aground get the most attention for killing large areas of coral reefs. But just as threatening are small pleasure boats that are literally chipping our reefs to death by groundings, propellor damage, and poor anchoring procedures. The cumulative effect of small boat groundings is just as harmful. According to sanctuary officials more than 500 small boat groundings were reported between July 1993 and June 1994 in the Florida Keys.

Prop dredging occurs when boaters enter shallow waters and their propellors stir up the bottom sediments. At best, this leaves a milky white trail of calcium carbonate silt, blocking sunlight and smothering bottom-dwelling organisms. Propellers also often uproot and shred seagrasses and cut channels in the seagrass beds that may never grow back.

Oil pollution from bilge discharge, untreated sewage from liveaboard and pleasure boats, and increased turbidity from boat wakes reduce the conditions required for healthy coral growth: clear clean, nutrient-free waters.

Corals require clean, nutrient-free waters to thrive. The over-abundance of nutrients in the ocean is the single biggest threat to the health of coral reefs. Every year, 700 tons of nutrients are discharged into Keys waters from agricultural run-off from the Everglades. There is another 33 tons contributed by land-based sources of pollution in the Keys, primarily from inadequately treated sewage.

Nutrients (a scientific term for organic and inorganic materials that can include phosphates, and/or nitrates, usually from untreated and partially treated sewage, fertilizers and other pollutants) promote algal blooms which rob the water of oxygen and compete with corals for habitat. Corals become diseased -- black, white and yellowband disease are common at local reefs. Eventually nuisance algae replaces areas where corals once thrived. Visibility drops. In 1995, there were only 20 days when visibility exceeded 80 feet at Key West-area reefs. Just a few years ago, visibility at Keys reefs used to be over 100 feet and we referred to them as "gin clear."

Primary Causes: septic tank leakage, wastewater outfall, fertilizers, pesticides, phosphate-laden cleaning products, stormwater run-off, and agricultural run-off.

the porous limestone bedrock of the Florida Keys provides inadequate depth for most of the 25,000 septic systems in use in the Keys, many of which were constructed with no bottom. Effluent often discharges into nearshore waters and canals, leaching nutrients into the water.

The Key West Sewage Treatment Plant and package plants throughout the Keys lack nutrient-removing tertiary treatment and release millions of gallons of nutrient-laden wastewater into nearshore waters.

or "boreholes" are shallow holes encased to 60' and drilled to a minimum of 90' into which sewage is pumped. The porous limestone bedrock of the Florida Keys allows this sewage to travel laterally and rise up in fresh water aquifers or into shallow nearshore waters and at the offshore coral reefs. Florida is the only state that permits shallow injection of sewage. Monroe County has more than 700 shallow injection wells and as many as 7,000 illegal cesspits. REEF RELIEF recently approached the state to upgrade the rules governing shallow injection wells. The new rule requires that the effluent "neither degrade, nor contribute to the degradation of Outstanding Florida Waters."

Phosphate-laden cleaning products, fertilizers, and agricultural run-off from Florida Bay are other sources of nutrients.

Pesticides are suspected of slowing the growth and interfering with the reproduction of corals. DDT is known to reduce photosynthesis in plankton. Endosulfan has been found in Florida Bay from Everglades agricultural areas. Pesticides persist for years in the tissues of marine organisms or become entrapped in marine sediments. An obvious source of pesticides is aerial spraying of mosquito control, which occurs as frequently as twice a week during the rainy season throughout the Keys. The run-off from lawns and agricultural areas also dumps pesticides into Keys waters.

Much of the bottom sediments of the Florida Keys are very fine silts of calcium carbonate. Composed of fine particles, these silts are easily brought into suspension through the construction of seawalls, canals, docks, and other construction on the shore. Sedimentation turns the water milky and when carried out to the reef, such turbidity inhibits the photosynthesis required for coral growth.

Offshore oil drilling off the Florida Keys is prohibited by law. We have worked to prevent the planned development of 73 leases for offshore oil held by nine oil companies for areas as close as 25 miles from Key West. To secure this legislation, we provided information and performed grassroots organizing for public hearings, petition drives, legislative visits, task force reports and related events. Compliments of former President George Bush, the Florida Keys are enjoying a ten year ban on offshore oil drilling that expires in 2001. President Clinton extended the ban another ten years.

More Than Just A Litter Problem! The Florida Keys has more marine debris than any other part of the United States.

Heavy Tanker and Cruiseship traffic in the Gulf Stream
Commercial Fishing Industry
Recreational Boaters
Sportfishing and Diving Charterboats
Military Vessels
Oil Drilling vessels and platforms


Merchant Ships alone dump more than 5.6 million metric tons of dunnage, shoring, pellets, wires and covers into the ocean each year.
Impact of Marine Debris:
Boats are damaged when propellers are fouled and cooling water intake systems are clogged by fishing nets, bags, sheeting and line. Clean-up procedures are costly and fisheries resources are depleted.

Health Hazards Arise when infectious materials are carried ashore.
The Real Tragedy is Marine Life.


Hard and soft corals are torn by monofilament line, trap rope, and are smothered by plastic bags.

Birds become entangled in monofilament fishing line and six-pack connector rings. They also ingest raw polyethylene pellets, the raw form of plastic after its synthesis from petrochemicals.



Turtles commonly get caught in fishing gear. They ingest plastic bags which they mistake for their favorite food -- jellyfish.

Manatees are caught in stone crab traps.

Bottlenose dolphins and turtles become entangled in shrimp nets.

Ghost-fishing: Tropical fish, including breeder species, are being trapped in "ghost traps." Fish, lobster, and stone crab traps are regularly lost, yet they continue to capture fish and shellfish in a cycle of baiting and trapping that is never retrieved. This "ghost fishing" involved 25% of the 76,000 crab traps off of Florida in the Gulf in 1984 alone.

Why so Much Trash?

Deliberate disposal is the single biggest factor to the enormous quantities of waste in our waters.

Boaters Dump plastic domestic items such as bags, six-pack connectors, containers, tampon applicators, pieces of styrofoam, and galley waste.

Fishermen -- Dump plastic buoys, rope, nets, traps, and monofilament fishing line.

Cruise Ships -- Dump domestic waste, and plastic serving materials.

Cargo Ships -- Dump plastic strapping bands, large sheets of plastic, and domestic waste.

The Law -- It is illegal for any vessel to dump plastic trash anywhere in the ocean or navigable waters of the United States. Annex V of the MARPOL TREATY is an international law for a cleaner, safer marine environment. Violation of these requirements may result in a civil penalty up to $25,000 and imprisonment. If you witness a violation and report it, you may receive a reward.

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