Marine Zones
Just as areas of land may be set aside for specific uses, so too can parts of the ocean. Marine zones help protect sensitive natural resources from overuse, separate conflicting uses, and preserve the diversity of marine life in an area. Zones are an important tool for managing marine resources and have been used around the world. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary established the nation's first comprehensive network of marine zones in 1997 after years of planning, design, and public input. The sanctuary's zones are designed to protect and preserve sensitive parts of the ecosystem while allowing activities that are compatible with resource protection. The marine zoning plan for the sanctuary, updated in 2024 includes five types of zones with varying levels of protection:
Management Areas
These areas preceded Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and they remain critical to our mission.
Sanctuary Preservation Areas
Sanctuary preservation areas are marked by yellow buoys and found on the oceanside of the Florida Keys, protecting critical spur and groove and patch coral reef formations.
Wildlife Management Areas
Wildlife management areas have been established to protect wildlife from activities that threaten their safety.
Conservation Areas
Conservation areas consist of contiguous, diverse habitats, protect a variety of sanctuary resources and/or facilitate scientific research that promotes sanctuary management or recovery of sanctuary resources.
Restoration Areas
Restoration areas are set aside to support species and habitat recovery. This zone type includes nursery restoration areas for short and long-term protection of propagation of corals and habitat restoration areas where active restoration activities are ongoing.
Sanctuary Boundary Maps
Access maps of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary