Though Looe Key alone represents a small segment of the reef system, it is 

 possible that by focusing intensive management on smaller discrete units such as 

 Biscayne Bay National Park, Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, John Pennekamp 

 State Park, Fort Jefferson National Park, and Looe Key we can protect enough of 

 the reef tract linkages to insure protection of the entire system. 



In addition, these discrete protected areas are tied together by the 

 broader conservation measures afforded under the Management Councils' Coral and 

 Coral Reef Resources Fishery Management Plan. In the near future other FMP's 

 will be implemented for fisheries under the jurisdiction of the South Atlantic 

 Council. All of these entities, together with heightened awareness of the need 

 for close cooperative management strategies, should provide an increased level 

 of protection. 



In conclusion, after assessing the potential impacts of larger Looe Key 

 sanctuary boundaries, NOAA continues to propose the 5 sq nm alternative. In a 

 purely biological sense, a sanctuary covering the whole of the Florida Keys 

 might be more desirable; however, the Looe Key proposal offers a workable 

 proposal which will contribute to protection of the integrity of the 

 entire reef tract and at the same time minimize economic impacts to area 

 residents. 



E-6 



