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Help Preserve Our Coral Reef Ecosystem

• Avoid purchasing marine life – dead or alive. Mass harvesting for souvenir purposes causes severe damage to coral reefs.
• Do not dump chemicals into storm drains. Run-off from non-point sources kills coral reefs and the organisms that live there.
• Even the lightest touch with hands or equipment can damage coral. Please make every effort to practice proper buoyancy control when swimming near coral and never stand on a coral reef.
• It’s illegal to harvest coral in Florida. Observe the living reef but don’t take or disturb any specimens.
• Bring your trash to shore and recycle it. Plastic bags, monofilament line, and other debris can injure or kill marine life.
• Anchor in sandy areas away from coral and seagrasses so the anchor doesn’t damage the habitat.
• Consult tide and navigation charts and steer clear of shallow areas. Accidental boat groundings damage reefs.
• Use sewage pump-out facilities and biodegradable bilge cleaner and never discharge bilge water at the reef.
• Support responsible coastal development. Sand erosion from lack of vegetation and dune habitat destroys reefs. Dredging for beach replenishment as a result of this erosion destroys them too.
• Be aware of protected marine habitats and report any illegal activities (such as bottom trawling, longline fishing, and the use of fish/crab traps in these zones) to the FWC’s Law Enforcement Division at (321)383-2740.

Learn all about coral reefs and their importance to our oceans and the inhabitants. Education is the key to making a difference for our planet.