NOAA's Office of Coastal Zone Management (OCZM) and the 

 appropriate Fishery Management Council will continue to work cooperatively 

 under Memoranda of Understanding in their efforts to protect and enhance 

 the Looe Key coral reef habitat and the spiny lobster fishery. Continued 

 monitoring of the area by the NMFS and the Councils would aid in maintaining 

 the stock of a valuable renewable resource, both in the restricted area 

 and in the area adjacent to the sanctuary. 



c. Prohibit lobster trapping within the 5 sq nmi (Boundary 

 Alternative #2. and #37^ 



This alternative would prohibit lobster fishing within the 5 sq nmi 

 alternative but would permit trapping outside the five sq nm but within 

 the 10 square nautical mile sanctuary proposal. This alternative would 

 maintain a healthy, substantial spiny lobster population in the Looe Key 

 the region as increased numbers of juveniles would migrate from the reef 

 and be caught outside the boundaries. Coral damage from pots and incidental 

 bycatch of tropical fish would also be significantly eliminated within 

 the entire Looe Key system. 



Banning traps from this five square mile area would be hardest 

 on the fishermen in fall and early winter when they mainly depend on 

 lobster fishing for revenue. The annual revenue from this area of Looe 

 Key (Boundary Alternative #2) is estimated at $466,320, as recorded in 

 Appendix C Table 2. This represents about 62 percent of all landings 

 within Boundary Alternative #2. 



Because of its convenient location and generally productive 

 yield the denial of lobster fishing within Boundary Alternative #2 would 

 impose a significant economic hardship on fishermen and local businessmen 

 who support or rely on the industry. 



114 



