Key WestNational Wildlife Refuge - Florida |
The Key West National Wildlife Refuge is located in Monroe County, Florida, between Key West and the Dry Tortugas. Only 2,019 acres (8.171 km2) of land are above sea level, on several keys within the refuge. These keys are unpopulated and are also designated as Wilderness within the Florida Keys Wilderness. The refuge was established to provide a preserve and breeding ground for native birds and other wildlife as well as to provide habitat and protection for endangered and threatened fish, wildlife, plants and migratory birds.
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Official Highway Map South of Florida. Published by the Florida Department of Transportation.
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Great White Heron - Information Tearsheet
Information Tearsheet of National Key Deer Refuge, Key West, Great White Heron and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Florida. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Great White Heron - Brochure and Map
Brochure and Map of Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Florida. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Florida Keys - Birds
Birds at the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Florida. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Florida Keys - Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Saltwater Fishing Regulations for Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Florida. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Key West NWR
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Key_West/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West_National_Wildlife_Refuge
The Key West National Wildlife Refuge is located in Monroe County, Florida, between Key West and the Dry Tortugas. Only 2,019 acres (8.171 km2) of land are above sea level, on several keys within the refuge. These keys are unpopulated and are also designated as Wilderness within the Florida Keys Wilderness. The refuge was established to provide a preserve and breeding ground for native birds and other wildlife as well as to provide habitat and protection for endangered and threatened fish, wildlife, plants and migratory birds.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Nature Center
UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY
PROHIBITED
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Walking Trails
Watson Trail 2/3 mile (1 km)
Mannillo Trail 800 feet (200m)
U.S.
FISH & WILDLIFE
SERVICE
Hiking Trails
IO
M
EN
T OF THE I
NT
E
All public entry prohibited
Refuge Lands.
Look for Refuge
Boundary Signs.
Private Property.
Respect Private
Property Rights.
R
R
T
Watson
and
Mannillo
Trails
Blue
Hole
This sign indicates the boundary of
the refuge. The Refuge Manager
has authorized this area open during
daylight hours to public access for
wildlife-dependent activities.
This sign means that there is NO public
access permitted in the area beyond
this sign. Access is prohibited to protect
wildlife and habitat and/or to protect
visitors.
Hiking on designated trails
Pets on leashes (only on National Key Deer Refuge)
Big Pine St.
Bicycles permitted except the Watson and Mannillo
Trails
No Name Key
Watson
Horses are permitted on refuge lands, access
limited, consult refuge manager
Blvd.
Key
Deer
Blvd.
This blue goose, created by
J.N. "Ding" Darling, is the
symbol for the National Wildlife
Refuge System.
Big Pine
Key
To protect you, other visitors and the environment,
the following activities are prohibited on
National Key Deer Refuge
Hunting or discharging firearms
Wilder
Road
1
0
National Key Deer, Key West and
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges
Miles
0
1
Camping on refuge lands
Km 1.0
Fires
Nature Center
30587 Overseas Highway
Big Pine Key, FL 33043
Nature Center phone - 305/872 0774
Administrative office phone - 305/872 2239
Key Deer Hotline - 888/404 3922 Ext. 7
Email: keydeer@fws.gov
Website: www.fws.gov/refuge/National_Key_Deer_Refuge
Facebook: Florida Keys Refuges
The use of metal detectors to search for antiquities
or treasure.
N
To Key West
July 2020
Personal photography
Koehn
Avenue
Watson Blvd.
Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge
10750 County Road 905
Key Largo, FL 33037
Email: crocodilelake@fws.gov
To enhance your visit, the following
wildlife-dependent activities are permitted on
National Key Deer Refuge
Fishing on Ohio Key
Wildlife and wildlands observation
AREA
BEYOND
THIS
SIGN
CLOSED
PA
The four refuges include more than 416,000 acres of land
and open water. Most keys are fringed along the shoreline
by red and black mangroves. On larger keys, this gives way
to a wide variety of tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs
on slightly higher ground. These lands maintain a unique
biodiversity by protecting and preserving important marine
water, freshwater wetlands, mangroves, tropical hardwood
forests (hammocks), and pine rockland forests. Together,
these habitats provide the four basic components of a
habitat- food water, shelter, and open space, necessary for
the survival of 24 federally listed threatened or endangered
species and other native wildlife. As commercial and
residential development in the Keys increases, pressure on
limited land and water resources become more crucial to the
survival of this fragile ecosystem.
Legend
DE
Welcome to the
Florida Keys
National Wildlife
Refuges - National
Key Deer Refuge,
Great White Heron,
Key West and
Crocodile Lake
National Wildlife
Refuges. These four
refuges are located
in an extraordinary
and seemingly
endless expanse
of sea, islands
and sky. These
refuges are part of
a vast subtropical
ecosystem. This
distinct chain of
islands stretches
almost 150
miles from the
Key deer
southeastern tip
of Florida, curving
gently westward dividing the aqua-green waters of the Gulf
of Mexico from the distant deep blue Atlantic.
NATIONAL
WILDLIFE
REFUGE
R
National Key Deer Refuge,
Key West, Great White
Heron and Crocodile Lake
National Wildlife Refuges
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Poles or pipes such as beach umbrellas
Long Beach
Road
1
To Marathon
Feeding, injuring, harassing, or removing wildlife,
plants, or natural items
No fishing or swimming at Blue Hole
Introducing exotic plants or wildlife
Storing equipment or property on refuge lands
Commercial activity without a permit
No drones
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Key Deer Refuge
The 84,351 acre National Key Deer Refuge is located in
the Lower Keys on 25 islands and consists of a patchwork
of small and large tracts of pine forest, mangrove forest,
hardwood hammocks, freshwater wetlands and marine
waters. Key deer are found on these 25 islands. The Key
deer is the smallest sub-species of the Virginia white-tailed
deer found throughout most of North America. Because
the Key deer population is low and remains under threat
of extinction from human interaction, the subspecies is
federally listed as endangered. The current population is
estimated at over 800. Key deer can best be seen at dawn or
dusk throughout Big Pine and sometimes on other islands
between Big Pine and Cudjoe/Sugarloaf Keys. Please help
keep the Key deer wild by not feeding them. Not only is it
illegal, it’s bad for their health.
T
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges
Key West National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1908 as a
preserve and breeding ground for native birds and other wildlife.
The refuge encompasses more than 200,000 acres with only 2,000
acres of land. The area is home to more than 250 species of birds
and is important for sea turtle nesting.
All of the islands in the refuge are designated as a part of the
National Wilderness Preservation System. Designated wilderness
areas are managed to minimize human impacts and influences and
to let natural processes occur without intervention. The refuge
limits human use and influence in order to preserve the quality,
character and integrity of these protected wilderness lands.
Sanctuary Preservation Areas have been designated at Sand Key,
Rock Key and Eastern Dry Rocks (all located within Key West
NWR) to protect coral reef habitats.
Boating in the backcountry is challenging due to very shallow
water depths. If you should run aground, please do not try to
power-off the area since this results in extreme damage to the
environment. Instead, trim up the motor and try to walk the
boat to deeper water. You might have to wait for a high-tide to
accomplish this.
For the most current National Marine Sanctuary regulations
please contact the Sanctuary office at 305/809 4700.
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge was established
in 1938 as a haven for great white herons, migratory birds, and
other wildlife. The refuge consists of almost 200,000 acres of open
water and islands, and is known locally as the “backcountry.” The
refuge provides critical nesting, feeding, and resting areas for
hundreds of species of birds and sea turtles.
The refuge was created to protect great white herons from
extinction since the population was
decimated by the demand for feathered
hats. Protection of great white herons
was successful, and these magnificent
powder-white birds can be observed
feeding on tidal-flats around hundreds
of backcountry islands each dawn and
dusk.
Mangrove islands are important bird
nesting and roosting areas, and provide
virtually no public use opportunities
because upland areas do not exist.
Islands with beaches are open to
limited public access as marked with
signs. Please obey refuge signs to help
minimize disturbance to wildlife.
Refuge Headquarters............................................................305/872 2239
n
No fishing allowed in Sanctuary Preservation Areas.
n
Do not touch coral or anchor on coral.
n
Do not discharge waste water
n
Use dive flag when snorkeling or diving.
Monroe County Sheriff.....................................................305/289 2430
n
Use mooring buoys when available.
Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline...............................888/404 3922
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary......................305/809 4700
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission....305/289 2320
U.S. Coast Guard Key West.............................................305/292 8856
Injured or dead sea turtles...................................................305/743 2552
For questions about allowable
activities within the refuges please
call 305/872 0774.
Injured or sick birds
Key West......................................................................305/292 1008
Marathon.....................................................................305/743 8382
Allowed Activities
n
n
n
n
Great white heron/USFWS
Refuge Information/Visitor Center................................305/872 0774
Sanctuary Regulations in Refuges
n
The Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary was designated in 1990
and protects 2,800 square nautical
miles from Key Largo to the Dry
Tortugas. This includes the waters
of the Key West and Great White
Heron National Wildlife Refuges.
Visitors to the refuges should be aware
that the sanctuary has established
additional rules to protect the marine
environment.
The sanctuary protects the marine
portions of the refuges through a
management partnership between
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This blue goose, designed by
J. N. "Ding" Darling, has become a symbol
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Tavernier.....................................................................305/852 4486
Sport and commercial
fishing in accordance
with state and federal
regulations.
Recreational boating
with conventional
propeller- driven crafts,
kayaks, canoes and
sailboats.
SCUBA diving and
snorkeling.
Wildlife viewing and
photography.
Refuge hours on islands
are 1/2 hour before
sunrise to 1/2 hour after
sunset.
Monroe County Animal Control
Key West SPCA..........................................................305/294 4857
Brown pelican/USFWS
Prohibited Activities
n
Use of personal watercrafts, hovercrafts and airboats.
n
Landing airplanes, helicopters or ultra-lights.
n
Water skiing.
n
Camping, open
US. Fish and Wildlife Service
Florida Keys
National Wildlife Refuges Bird List
©Paula Cannon
Welcome to the Florida Keys National
Wildlife Refuges. There are three Refuges
in the lower Florida Keys: Key West, Great
White Heron and National Key Deer
National Wildlife Refuges. These refuges
are part of a subtropical ecoregion and
provide habitat for many species of birds,
some of which are unique to the Florida
Keys and south Florida. Combined, the
refuges total approximately 23,000 acres
of land. However, the open water within
the boundaries of Key West and Great
White Heron Refuges, covers an area of
about 400,000 acres. All of the refuges
were established to protect wildlife
and their habitat. Key West National
Wildlife Refuge and Great White Heron
Refuge were established in 1908 and 1938
respectively, to protect herons and egrets
from plume hunters. National Key Deer
Refuge was established in 1957 to protect
the endangered Key Deer and other
wildlife.
Florida Keys
National Wildlife Refuges
179 Key Deer Blvd.
Big Pine Key Plaza
Big Pine Key, Florida 33043
305/872 0774
http://southeast.fws.gov
nationalkeydeer@fws.gov
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1 800/344 WILD
January 2013
The best times for birding are during the
spring and fall migration. Some of the
more unique birds that can be seen are
great white herons, antillean nighthawk,
gray kingbird, black-whiskered vireo,
white-crowned pigeon and the elusive
mangrove cuckoo. Together, these three
Refuges protect habitat for 285 species of
birds.
Key West and Great White Heron Refuges
are composed of many small islands locally
known as the Backcountry. Key West
National Wildlife Refuge lies west of Key
West. Great White Heron National Wildlife
Refuge encompasses many of the Keys
north of U.S. Highway 1 from Key West to
just west of Marathon. These two Refuges
are accessible only by boat. National Key
Deer Refuge and surrounding non-refuge
lands also afford the best opportunities
for birding. Respect private property if the property is privately owned you
must obtain permission to enter. It is
recommended that you lock your car and
lock your valuables in the trunk or take
them with you when you leave it.
Directions (north, south, east, and west)
are given relative to compass headings, not
to directions on US 1.
Bahia Honda State Park (MM 37.5): An
entrance fee is required. Continue through
the gate, go right, and then park in the lot
on the left. Walk the beach for shorebirds,
gulls, and terns. Go to the parking area
on the right - warblers may be seen in
trees near the old store. Other birds can be
found along the beach at the east end and
along the road past the camping area.
East end of West Summerland Key (MM
34.9): just west of the Bahia Honda Bridge,
turn north and follow to the “Donut” (a
manmade cove). This is a good area for
shorebirds, terns, and gulls. Snowy plovers
have been seen here.
Big Pine Key (MM 32.9): just after
entering onto the Key, turn south onto
Long Beach Drive and stop along the
road at any convenient spot. Ovenbirds,
warblers, waterthrushes, siskins, buntings,
and orioles may be present during
migration and in winter.
Big Pine Key (MM 30.2): turn north at the
traffic light and then an immediate left
onto Key Deer Blvd. (the Refuge office
is in the shopping center on the right).
Short-tailed hawk and turkey vultures
may be observed soaring overhead. At the
Blue Hole, 2.5 miles north on Key Deer
Blvd., pied-billed grebes and green-backed
herons may be present. The masked duck
and least grebe also have been seen here
so it is worth a visit. Opposite the Blue
Hole, travel onto Big Pine St. and then
left onto Koehn Blvd. Shorebirds may be
present at the mud flats near the end of
the road and at the boat ramp.
To go to No Name Key, go east on Watson
Blvd., left at the stop sign, and follow
Watson Blvd. over the large bridge to No
Name Key. Yellow headed blackbird, darkeyed junco, cave swallow, and Swainsons
warbler have been found here. The end
of the road is also a good location for
mangrove cuckoo and black-whiskered
vireo.
Before leaving Big Pine a good spot to look
for antillean nighthawks is in the vicinity
of the west end of Watson Blvd and along
Narcissus Ave. Antilleans are frequently
present late in the day during spring and
summer.
US. Fish and Wildlife Service
Summerland Key (MM 25): Take the first left after the bridge
and a salt pond is on your right. Ibis and egrets can be found
here. Take a right onto Margaret St and then the next left. A
fresh water pond is on the left. Ducks, least bittern, sora rail,
and white-crowned pigeon are found here. Moorhens nest here.
Sugarloaf Key (MM 17): Turn south at traffic light and drive
slowly to the end of the road. Hawks, harriers, woodpeckers can
be seen along here. There is the possibility of ducks on the pond
on the right and pine siskin, indigo bunting, and grosbeak in the
pine trees after crossing the bridge.
How to use your checklist
The checklist is arranged in the order es
Florida Recreational
Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Issued: June 2021
New regulations are highlighted in red
(please visit: MyFWC.com/Fishing/Saltwater/Recreational
Regulations apply to state waters of the Gulf and Atlantic
for the most current regulations)
All art: © Diane Rome Peebles, except blueline tilefish and golden tilefish (Duane Raver); lionfish (FWC)
Reef Fish
Snapper
General Snapper
Regulations:
• Snapper Aggregate Bag
Limit – Within state waters
of the Atlantic and Gulf,
all species of snapper are
included in a 10 fish per
harvester per day aggregate
bag limit in any combination
of snapper species, unless
stated otherwise.
• Seasons – If no seasonal
information is provided, the
species is open year-round.
Other Snapper
Snapper, Cubera u l Snapper, Red
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 12" (see below)
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester
under 30", included within snapper
aggregate bag limit
• May additionally harvest up to 2 over
30" per harvester or vessel, whichever
is less, and these 2 fish over 30" are
not included within snapper aggregate
bag limit
u l X Snapper, Vermilion u l X
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic - 20"
• Gulf - 16"
Season:
• Atlantic - Open year-round
• Gulf - June 4 - July 28
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 5 per harvester not included
within snapper aggregate bag limit
• Gulf - 10 per harvester not included
within snapper aggregate bag limit
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 2 per harvester
• Gulf - Zero daily bag and possession limit
for captain and crew on for-hire vessels.
Snapper, Lane
ul
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 8"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic - 12"
• Gulf - 10"
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 10 per harvester
• Gulf - 100 pounds per harvester, not
included within snapper aggregate
bag limit
ul
Minimum Size Limits:
• Dog and Mahogany: Atlantic and
Gulf - 12”
• No minimum size limit for other
snappers
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester
Grouper
Snapper, Gray
(Mangrove)
u l Snapper, Mutton u l X
Snapper,
Schoolmaster
ul
Snapper,
Yellowtail
ulX
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 18"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 12" total length
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per harvester
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per harvester
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester
Atlantic Grouper
General Regulations:
• Atlantic grouper regulations
apply to all state waters of the
Atlantic and all state waters
off Monroe County (Gulf and
Atlantic sides).
• Atlantic Grouper/Tilefish
Aggregate Bag Limit includes all species of
grouper plus golden tilefish
and blueline tilefish in a
3 fish per harvester per
day aggregate bag limit
in in any combination of
species.Seasons – If no
seasonal information is
provided, the species is
open year-round.
Grouper, Black u l X Grouper, Snowy
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic - 24"
• Gulf - 24"
Season:
• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
• Gulf - Open year-round
l
* Zero bag limit for captain and crew
of for-hire vessels applies to gag,
black, and red grouper only.
l
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 20"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic and Gulf - None
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 1 per harvester
• Gulf - 4 per harvester
Season:
• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
• Gulf - Open year-round
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - 1 per vessel per day
of each species
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 3 per harvester
• Gulf - 2 per Harvester*
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 1 per harvester. Only 1 fish
can be gag or black
• Gulf - 4 per harvester*
Grouper, Scamp u l
Gag Grouper
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic - 20"
• Gulf - 16"
Minimum Size Limits:
• Atlantic - 24"
• Gulf - 24"
Season:
• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
• Gulf - Open year-round
Season:
• Atlantic - Closed: Jan. 1–April 30
• Gulf - State waters off Franklin, Wakulla,
Jefferson and Taylor counties: Open April 1
–June 30, & Sept 1–Dec. 31.
• Gulf - State waters off all other
counties: Open June 1–Dec. 31
Daily Recreational Bag Limit:
• Atlantic - 3 per harvester
• Gulf - 4 per harvester
Grouper, Warsaw
u l X & Speckled Hind
Minimum Size Limit:
• Atlantic and Gulf - None
Gulf Grouper
General Regulations:
• Gulf grouper regulations apply
to all state waters of the Gulf
except off Monroe County
(where Atlantic rules apply).
• Gulf Grouper Aggregate Bag
Limit - all species of grouper
in the Gulf are included in
a 4 fish per harvester per
day aggregate bag limit in
any combination of grouper
species.
• Seasons – If no seasonal
information is provided, the
species is open year-round.