Biscayne National Park: Mooring Buoy Management Recommendations

Wilcox, Bradford

Biscayne National Park (BNP) is in the process of updating their mooring buoy program with a new management plan. The park's need for the Mooring Buoy Management Plan is twofold: the main priority is to assess the current mooring buoy program, to prepare and consider options for its improvement, while a secondary function of the project is to achieve compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of my internship was to study the advantages and disadvantages of mooring buoys and, in collaboration with a mooring buoy management team, determine a framework for their use as a management tool in BNP. The Mooring Buoy Management Plan is the culmination of our work, a comprehensive document that provides practical guidance for managers to mitigate human impact on the reefs and shipwrecks in BNP. The standard _Nation Park Service objective is to present a balanced management approach for recreational activities that adversely affect cultural and biological resources, without interfering with the public's right to access. However, several of the policy recommendations are intentionally aimed outside of the public domain standard, with the intent to improve marine resource protection in BNP by changing that principle. The final judgment over which policies best suit BNP rests on the authority of the park.