A Sunny Saturday in the Keys: Military Families Set Sail

On a sunny Saturday in early December, military families from across the South Florida region gathered at NOAA’s Eco-Discovery Center in Key West, Florida, for an afternoon of programming and fishing at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

After a welcome from Sanctuary Superintendent David Burke and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation President Joel Johnson, participants learned about the fish species they would catch on their evening charter, as well as the rules and regulations that sanctuary staff help enforce to maintain a healthy fishing ecosystem in South Florida.

After learning about the sanctuary at the Eco-Discovery center, participants grabbed a fishing pole and got on board a private fishing charter to spend the evening catching native fish species offshore. Participants caught dozens of local fish species, including strawberry grouper, barracudas, tarpon, and yellow snapper. The event was an incredible opportunity for military veterans and families to engage with their local national marine sanctuary and participate in a fishing clinic in sanctuary waters.

This event marked the final of five fishing events run in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and NOAA Fisheries. This year, over 100 participants were engaged in fishing at the Monterey Bay, Channel Islands, Stellwagen Bank, Mallows Bay-Potomac River, and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries.