Tortugas 2000
| REEFKEEPER GOAL: | To establish a Dry Tortugas Ecological Reserve at the western end of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary by the year 2000 |
| WHY: | To protect the coral reefs, seagrass beds, hardbottom areas and other significant bottom features from further destruction. |
| Tortugas 2000 in Depth |
Tortugas 2000 e-mail Newsletter |
Tortugas 2000 Citizen Action Kit |
Campaign News |
| Date | Proposed timeline for implementation |
| 2/17/98 | SAC input on draft plan, subcommittee established |
| 3/23-31/98 | Crosby cruise-continue benthic characterization |
| 3/1-31/98 | Setup website for public input |
| 4/16-17/98 | Ecological characterization panel to share knowledge and identify gaps |
| 4/18-20/98 | Tortugas site visit |
| 4/21/98 | Subcommittee reports to SAC SAC comments on website |
| 6/17/98 | Socioeconomic characterization panel to share knowledge and identify gaps |
| 7-8/98 | Socioeconomic impact analysis completed |
| 7/98 - 9/98 | Working groups develops criteria for selecting boundary alternatives |
| 9/17-18/98 | Working group drafts boundary alternatives |
| 10/20/98 | Subcommittee presents alternatives |
| 1/99 - 3/99 | Public comment |
| 3/99 | Public comment ends |
| 6/99 | Fishery councils approval |
| 9/99 | Governor / Cabinet approval |
| 11/99 | Final Regs published |
| 1/2000 | Regulations effective |
TO SUPPORT REEFKEEPER'S POSITION:
| NAME: | Ben Haskell |
| AGENCY: | Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary |
| ADDRESS: | P.O. Box 500368 Marathon, FL 33050 |
| FAX: | |
| E-MAIL: | [email protected] |
Tortugas 2000
IN DEPTH
- Tortugas Socioeconomic Forum June 22-23rd -
- Input Urged on Socioeconomic Benefits of Reserve -
- Tortugas 2000 Ecological Characterization Forum Highlights -
- Tortugas 2000 Info Packet Offered -
Work has begun by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to establish a Dry Tortugas Ecological Reserve at the western end of the Sanctuary by the year 2000. Dubbed Tortugas 2000, the effort seeks to carry out an initial intent of the Sanctuary that could not be completed in time for the 1997 implementation of the Sanctuary's management plan.
"A Tortugas 2000 Working Group will be responsible for developing the boundary alternatives that will go into the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Reserve," commented Sanctuary Science Coordinator Ben Haskell. "The DEIS will describe the purpose of the ecological reserve, the affected environment, the natural resources at stake, the boundary alternatives, and the potential impacts of each alternative on the environment and human activities," Haskell concluded.
The Tortugas 2000 Working Group includes representatives from federal and state agencies, as well as scientists and representatives of the commercial fishing, recreational angling, sportdiving, and environmental communities.
The original 1995 Sanctuary proposal for a no-take Dry Tortugas Reserve sought to set aside a ten-square-mile area to improve its longterm economic value, and increase larval production and fisheries overall in the seriously overfished area outside the Reserve. Questions about the proposed Reserve's location and relationship to the adjacent Dry Tortugas National Park caused the reserve proposal to be set aside for further review. Tortugas 2000 carries forward that review.
The Sanctuary's proposed timeline for Tortugas 2000 anticipates release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public comment in January of 1999 and final implementation of Reserve regulations by January 2000.
A lot of work is being done beforehand. This includes convening of an Ecological Characterization Panel and a Socioeconomic Characterization Panel, scoping input from the public, doing additional research on site, and gathering other expert opinions. These activities, all open to public review, are expected to culminate in development of several reserve boundary alternatives by the Tortugas 2000 Working Group. After agency review, those reserve boundary alternative options will be released for public comment in a Tortugas 2000 Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
ReefKeeper International supports creation of a Dry Tortugas Ecological Reserve, which we anticipate to include seagrass beds, coral reefs, hardbottom areas and other significant bottom features.
TORTUGAS 2000 SOCIOECONOMIC FORUM
SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 22-23 IN KEY WEST
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be hosting a second scoping/public awareness Tortugas 2000 Forum the evenings of June 22nd and 23rd at the Key West Beachside Holiday Inn. The Forum will focus on socioeconomic characterization factors (i..e., usage) of Sanctuary waters west of the Dry Tortugas, where the Sanctuary is proposing to establish a no-take Ecological Reserve by the year 2000. The Forum will include local knowledge users as well as professional researchers.
| For an exact agenda, speakers invited, and exact time of the Forum, email Ben Kaskell, Science Coordinator at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary ([email protected]) or phone (305)743-2437. |
INPUT URGED ON SOCIOECONOMIC BENEFITS OF RESERVES
At the Tortugas 2000 Working Group meeting April 17th, it was agreed that questions could be submitted in advance to be addressed by speakers at the Tortugas 2000 Socioeconomic Forum coming up in June. ReefKeeper International urges you to submit in writing questions such as the following for that Panel to address:
We know these are tough questions, but an attempt should be made to answer them. We are concerned that a socioeconomic analysis could focus only on the minus side regarding current users that would be adversely impacted, without a corresponding consideration of the plus side regarding new users that would be generated and improved fishing that could result outside the reserve.
| To submit questions and/or input regarding socioeconomic effects of establishing a no-take Replenishment Reserve west of the Dry Tortugas, send your e-mail to [email protected] and please cc: [email protected]... or write Ben Haskell, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, P.O. Box 500368, Marathon FL 33050. |
TORTUGAS 2000
ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION FORUM HIGHLIGHTS
Scientific researchers and local knowledge experts were convened April 16 & 17 in a Tortugas 2000 Ecological Characterization Forum hosted by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the main points made (any errors in interpretation of the speakers' presentations are the responsibility of ReefKeeper International).
Tom Lee/Univ. of Miami -- Dry Tortugas receives larval import carried by currents from Brazil through Western Caribbean... larval export from Dry Tortugas to the Florida Keys depends on intermittent formation of Tortugas Gyres...
Ron Jones/Fla. Intl. Univ. -- Dry Tortugas is the only real natural reference area to make comparisons with other Florida Keys areas regarding water quality... Dry Tortugas water quality is "pretty darned good"...
Don DeMaria/local expert -- Tortugas Knoll (aka Riley's Hump) is not only a spawning aggregation area, but also has a bottom fully alive with reef growth...
Mike Crosby/NOAA and Steven Miller/NURC -- Studies consistently show a higher average percent stony coral cover for the Dry Tortugas than the Florida Keys...
Jennifer Wheaton /FLA DEP -- The Dry Tortugas octocoral fauna includes no true unique species, but the octocoral community structure is unique...
Jim Bohnsack/NMFS and Jerry Ault/Univ of Miami -- Based on cluster analysis, the fish community structure of the Dry Tortugas is different from that of the Florida Keys...
TORTUGAS 2000 INFO PACKET OFFERED
A free Tortugas 2000 Information Kit is available VIA POSTAL MAIL by writing ReefKeeper International, 2809 Bird Avenue - Suite 162, Miami, FL 33133, phoning (305)358-4600 or e-mailing [email protected]. with the message T2000 INFO KIT REQ and your postal address. The Kit includes a timeline chart for the sequence of evaluation steps that will lead to implementation of a Tortugas Ecological Reserve, a contact list of members of the Tortugas 2000 Working Group which is evaluating reserve location and boundary alternatives, and other pertinent background info.
| Tortugas 2000 in Depth |
Tortugas 2000 e-mail Newsletter |
Tortugas 2000 Citizen Action Kit |
Campaign News |
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