Since the creation of the program, NOAA has designated eleven areas as Marine Sanctuaries. They include the following:
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
- Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
- Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
- Fagatelle Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary
The idea behind the sanctuaries is a good one. They are meant to protect and preserve the marine areas from the shipwreck of the Monitor to living reefs that flourish. All of the sanctuaries have "No Take" rules governing what may be removed, such as coral, tropical fish, or shipwreck relics. Some, like the Florida Keys Sanctuary have specifically protected ecological zones where even fishing is prohibited.
The fishing prohibition, even with catch and release is a very controversial rule. Fishermen can understand the no anchoring rule and the no take rule, but with all but pure bottom fish, a specific protected area means very little. Grouper and snapper can live in a specified area as bottom dwellers and live in and around the available structure. Open water species such as those in the mackerel family, and non bottom dwelling species such as tarpon and snook will move in and out of any given area at will. Most fishermen, myself included would rather see a strict enforcement of catch and release, and a more concentrated effort to stop fish traps than we would a no fishing zone. Given a severely understaffed enforcement authority, breaking the rules can become a regular occurrence.
In Georgia, the Gray's Reek Sanctuary is undergoing a review and revision of their management plan. This reef is located 17 miles offshore of the Georgia coast and covers 17 square miles of ocean. It is a "live" bottom and it does harbor a good fish population. However, the same phenomenon occurs here as it does in Florida. That is, the pelagic fish, including king mackerel freely swim in and out of the zone.
The meetings to discuss rule revisions have included efforts by some to not just restrict fishing, but to eliminate fishing totally from this area. One proposal even goes so far as to extend the boundaries to include estuary waters. This will essentially stop fishing for a 40 mile area of Georgia's coast line.
Those proposing the fishing ban will be well represented at the public meetings. The fishermen need to be just as well represented in order to present their case. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Georgia will be there, but it takes more than just one organization to protect the fisherman's rights.
Conservation is great; catch and release is the way to go; but if we don't keep our eyes and ears open, we will be faced with more threats to the angler. The Gray's Reef Sanctuary is a U.S. National Sanctuary. If you are a United States citizen, you have a right to be heard in these discussion. By being intelligent and drafting a simple ethical response, your voice can be heard.
