INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 



I. BACKGROUND 



The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 

 1431-1434) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, after consultation with 

 appropriate Federal agencies, and the affected State, and with Presidential 

 approval, to designate ocean areas having distinctive conservation, recre- 

 ational, ecological, or aesthetic values as marine sanctuaries. In 1977, 

 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the Department 

 of Commerce sent out a nationwide letter asking for recommendations of sites 

 appropriate for consideration as marine sanctuaries. 



The response to this request included a recommendation by the Florida 

 Keys Citizens Coalition (an association of approximately 21 public interest 

 groups) for the designation of Looe Key as a marine sanctuary "to establish 

 a recreational and aesthetic area managed to protect the coral and coral 

 reef ecosystem" (Nomination letter of November 23, 1977) (see Figure 1 for 

 location of Looe Key). 



As part of the process for scoping out issues early in the designation 

 process, NOAA held a public workshop on the proposal at Big Pine Key in 

 January 1978. At the workshop the Lower Keys Chapter of the Organized 

 Fishermen of Florida (OFF) and many individual fishermen, testified that 

 they were opposed to any designation of Looe Key as a marine sanctuary. 

 OFF members were opposed to: (1) any regulation of fishing activities; 



(2) any additional presence of the Federal government in the area; and 



(3) the size of the proposed sanctuary which was rumored to be 20 sq nm.* 

 In addition to these concerns OFF members expressed belief that enough of 

 the Florida Keys and adjacent water areas were in some form of protective 

 status. Other residents opposed a sanctuary on the belief that a sanctuary 

 would only attract more tourists to the area which, in turn, would further 

 deplete and damage renewable resources. 



On the other hand, a number of individuals and local groups spoke in 

 favor of some type of a sanctuary at Looe Key. The Florida Audubon Society; 

 Big Pine Key Citizens Association; the Isaak Walton League, Florida Chapter; 

 the Florida Keys Citizens' Coalition; and the Upper Keys Citizens' Association 

 testified on behalf of the proposal. The Newfound Harbor Marine Institute 



* Rumors circulated in the Big Pine Key area that NOAA was proposing a 

 sanctuary consisting of approximately 20 sq nm. However, at that time NOAA 

 was merely investigating the feasibility of designating the sanctuary and did 

 not have any proposal that discussed size. 



