Table 21. Excerpts of the anecdotal and historical chronology of events that affected the marine 
environment of the Florida Keys from 1714 to the present prepared by The Nature Conservancy 
(text as found in draft document except for minor editing) [DeMaria (in press)] (cont.). 
Year(s) 
1938 
1939 
1940 
Pre WWII 
1941 
1 940S-1 950s 
Pre WWII 
WW II 
1943 
1944 
1945 
Post WW II 
1946 
1946-47 
1946 or 1947 
Event 
In March, the Overseas Highway is opened which was created on top of the old 
railroad system. 
'Saw big red shoals of lobsters swimming off Key West.' 
There is a fishing wharf at Flamingo where boats are rented out. 
Clear water is found in Florida Bay only when there has not been a great deal of 
rain or wind. 
Commercial fishers object to the inclusion of Florida Bay as part of the 
Everglades National Park. 
Sport fishing not as good in Florida Bay proper as in nearby waters. 
Sponge blight kills sponges throughout the Keys. 
Winter, severe cold front hits the Keys. Temperature down to 41 °F. 
Fish become 'paralyzed' due to cold front. 
1940s County law stated that you could only have 200 wooden slated lobster 
traps. 
The first lobster traps begin being used in the Keys. 
Before flood control project, average rainfall in Everglades is 55 in/yr. 
Few boat basins or marinas exist in the Keys. 
Algae bloom observed in the area of Rabbit Key, Arsenicker Key, Twin Keys 
and Ninemile Bank. 
Navy pipeline brings fresh water from mainland wells to Key West, Civilians 
not allowed to hook up until after the war. The Navy creates an airfield on Boca 
Chica Key during WW II. 
Queen conch population plentiful. 
Northeast Florida Bay is muddy all the time, a pale white muddy clay. No real 
vegetation exists. 
A red tide bloom is observed near Bahia Honda/Harbor Key/Content Key area. 
This disease almost decimates the sponges as well as killing uncountable tons of 
fish. 
Key West and Marathon become rejuvenated with military stations and training 
programs. The navy's water line ensures water supply throughout the chain . 
August, 818 pounds of jewfish are caught off Pigeon Key in the span of 90 
minutes. Two people catch the fish while fishing from the 7-mile bridge . The 
largest of the 6 fish is 280 pounds, the smallest is 16 pounds. 
Monroe County Commission issues an order halting the practice of drying shark 
skins on the No Name Key causeway. (Shark processing plant at the time is 
located on the eastern shore of Big Pine Key.) 
October, hurricane hits the Key West area. 
Illegal to catch bonefish in nets and seines. Bonefish used to be sold on the 
streets of Key West by the 'Conchs'. 
Development boom in south Florida and the Keys. Commercial and sport fishing 
industries flourish and some tourism begins. 
Sponge blight kills sponges throughout the Keys. 
Major flood in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area. East coast under water for a while. 
Two big storms move through the Key Largo area the first six weeks of lobster 
season. 
86 
