Cleaner Water
National Marine Sanctuaries
Last year, the Commerce Department designated the Tortugas Ecological Reserve as the Nation's largest
permanent no-take marine reserve. Located more than 70 miles west of Key West, Florida, the new reserve is part
of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and encompasses more than 150 square nautical miles of
spectacular deepwater and corals and critical fish spawning sites. An innovative new management plan was
developed for the Department of the Interior's Dry Tortugas National Park, which together with the Ecological
Reserve, forms the third largest coral reef protection area in the world. The plan enhances coral protection
and improves the visitor experience in the Straits of Florida.