Marine Management

Friday, March 5 Morning Activity
Post by: Chela Novak

This morning the weather was chilly and windy, and we all rolled out of our bunks only a few minutes before the bell for breakfast rung. We were all in one of two states of mind: extremely giggly and hyper or in a state of happy coma! Breakfast was what SeaCamp has dubbed "breakfast pizza" - a bit of baked eggs on a doughy crust (we miss Ross food - everyone talked about our fritattas that morning!). After breakfast we headed over to the Port Portable classroom for a class on Marine management led by their lead scientist and marine expert, John. We first reviewed taxonomy with Joe and then began an interesting session on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and how these waters are managed to serve the interests of all. We began first by learning about all the various zones that are designated for different types of uses and blocked these out on a map of this area. We also discussed how these waters are managed on both a state and federal level. After looking at the existing zonation, we were then challenged to think about what we would recommend to an advisory committee. Most of us felt that more of this reef system should be protected, but realized that this is a delicate situation due to the interest of various parties: commercial fishers, sport fishing, guided fishing tours, etc. We came up with more ways to protect the Keys, such as blocking off more area that cannot be fished in or even snorkeled in. The Florida Keys are really in trouble, because there seems to be no logical solution that would help the problem of the massive decline of marine life and keep people happy. marine environments are not just important for the ecosystem but also the economy. Our discussion ended with all us trying to figure out how to help the Keys, as well as finding connections to our local environment in Long Island.