Underwater Parks

You might be alarmed if you heard a wildlife sanctuary was underwater and the wildlife was swimming through the vegetation. But that’s good news for marine biologists, who have long hoped for protected areas in the ocean. Marine protected areas are one of the newest forms of protection for sensitive areas and imperiled species in the ocean. Protected areas can also benefit people who fish for a living by providing safe havens for fish to grow, reproduce, and replenish. That’s why fishers and conservationists in the Florida Keys are working together to create the largest fully protected reserve in the United States in the biologically rich Dry Tortugas. And that’s good news for the fish, biologists, and the planet!