Page 73 - Dive the Seas and More-2

Coral Reef Teacher’s Guide Benefits, Threats, and Solutions

TIPS FOR BOATERS AND FISHERMEN and hands. Repair leaky faucets prompt-ly and
• Dumping trash at sea is illegal; plastic bags use wa- ter-saver faucets and toilets.
and other debris can injure or kill marinelife. • Use biodegradable cleaning, painting, and land-
Try to retrieve all fishing gear and equip- scap- ing products that can be washed down the
ment, especially monofilament. drain. Avoid the use of toxic cleansers, pes-
• Accidental boat groundings damage the ti-cides, plas- tics, styrofoam, and other products
reef. Prop damage destroys shallow sea- that are pro- duced or used in ways that poison
grass beds. Consult tide and navigational our waterways and threaten our oceans.
charts and steer clear of shal- low areas. • Landscape using native species that require
Remember: “Brown, brown, run aground. less water and fertilizers, and design walkways
Blue, blue, sail on through. White, white, you and driveways with porous materials to reduce
just might!”
stormwater runoff. Wash cars on the lawn to
• Use reef mooring buoys or anchor in pre- vent runoff.
sandy areas away from coral and seagrasses • Conserve energy whenever possible to reduce
so that an-chor and chain do not damage the global warming. Take public transportation,
bottom.
car-pool, walk, or ride a bike to reduce fossil
• Use sewage pump-out facilities, biode- fuel depletion. Use ceiling fans and natural ven-
gradable bilge cleaner and bilge absorbent tilation to reduce air conditioning. Plant a tree.
pads, and nev-er dis- charge sewage or bilge- Support forest and green space conservation ef-
water on the reef. forts and limits to urban sprawl.
• Practice good seamanship and safe • Properly dispose of hazardous waste in-
boating. Main- tain safe distances from fish- cluding auto batteries, gasoline, motor oil, paint,
ermen and scu-ba divers. Observe size and chem-icals, acids, and household cleaning prod-
bag limits and no-fish-ing zones. ucts. Never discharge them into the street.
Release all the fish you can’t eat. • Reduce, reuse, recycle. Recycle aluminum

• Avoid wildlife disturbance; stay 200 and steel cans, glass, plastic containers, newspa-
feet or more offshore; keep speed, noise, and pers, and cardboard. If recycling is unavailable
wakes to a mini- mum near mangroves. in your community, lobby to adopt full recycling.
• Do not dispose of fish carcasses and wrung • Be a smart shopper. Know the source and
lobsters by throwing them overboard or into quality of your seafood purchases.
canals as they degenerate and degrade water • If your home is connected to a central sewage
quality. system, make sure it removes nutrients and does
• Camping, campfires, and collecting of any not contaminate underground sources of drinking
kind are prohibited on all National Wildlife water or adjacent bodies of water. If on a septic
Refuges. Personal watercraft and airboats system, keep it working properly to prevent leach-
are illegal in all National Parks and Wildlife ing. Avoid the use of shallow injection wells in ar-
Refuges in the Flori-da Keys and may be re- eas of porous substrata since they fail to con-
stricted elsewhere. tain the effluent.

TIPS ON LAND If we all do a little, we can do a lot!
• Conserve water by filling the washing ma- PROTECT LIVING CORAL
chine and dishwasher completely before For specific information about current coral reef
using. Limit shower time; showers use less threats and whom to write, contact REEF RELIEF at
water than baths. Avoid over- filling the bath- tel: (305) 294-3100, fax: (305) 293-9515, emailil: reef@
tub or running tap water while shav- ing, bellsouth.net, or go to our web site:
brushing your teeth, or lathering your face http://www.reefrelief.org

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