Dear NOAA & Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission:

The Florida Keys marine sanctuary is a national ecological treasure enjoyed by millions of tourists every year, but beautiful corals shining in the sunlight, colorful reef fish, vast beds of undulating sea grass, and diverse marine life inside the sanctuary have been in decline for decades. Where vibrant schools of fish once engulfed snorkelers and divers, there are vast areas of dead, grey coral and rubble. Like invasive vines, algae now coat reefs that were once alive with marine life.

We must act now to stop this precipitous decline and rebuild these spectacular places by adopting the strongest recommendations in the Florida Keys Restoration Blueprint. Therefore, I support the strongest conservation and restoration measures described in the plan (Alternative 4) to include: 

·      Expanding the sanctuary’s boundaries to include this country’s first twilight reefs at a place called Pulley Ridge;

·      Increasing the number, size, and diversity of actively managed areas within the sanctuary boundaries; and,

·       Strengthening regulations that enhance conservation in the marine sanctuary.

To really protect the unique corals and habitat at Pulley Ridge, I urge NOAA and the State of Florida to ban all fishing of any kind in the area. Pulley Ridge deserves protection from the bottom all the way up to the surface as it functions as one integrated ecosystem from bottom to top.

Thank you,