Marquesas Keys Wildlife Management Area

The Marquesas are a chain of mangrove islands in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge about 25 miles west of Key West. Rays, sharks, sea turtles, and bird life abound and the area is used as an anchorage. The Marquesas region contains the densest population of sea turtles in all of the Florida Keys and is one of the only known foraging grounds for adult green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Continental United States.

No-motor and no-access areas have been designated to protect nesting, feeding, and roosting birds and nesting sea turtles. A 300-foot no-motor zone is established around the three smallest islands, a 300-foot no-access buffer zone is established around one mangrove island, and an idle speed only/no wake zone is established in the southwest tidal creek.

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.