Marathon Oceanside Shoreline Wildlife Management Area

An idle speed area almost 2 square miles in size, located along the southern shore of Marathon’s Vaca Key Bight. While no less than 10 channels remain open for normal operation, allowing boaters access to residential canals, the idle speed areas are designed to decrease disturbance to nearshore seagrass and hard-bottom habitats where numerous vessel groundings have resulted in severe propeller scarring.

Special regulations apply here. Learn more about what activities are allowed in this type of zone.

A summary of all sanctuary regulations is available online. For the full text of sanctuary regulations, see 15 CFR 922 Subpart P.