SAVANNAH, Ga. — December Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is a popular destination for fisherman and divers; the reef is close to 20 miles off the Georgia Coast and a good 60 feet under the surface.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a comprehensive draft management plan, proposed rulemaking and environmental assessment for public review and comment.
The draft plan is a result of scientific study and a public participatory process, and proposes regulatory changes that would allow the use of weighted marker buoys in the sanctuary, which are important for driver safety and fishing.
The current sanctuary regulations prohibit anchoring in the sanctuary and the placement of any material on the seafloor, including weights that mark locations during recreational diving or fishing. NOAA proposes an exemption for weighted marker buoys that are "continuously tended" by fishers and divers and are not attached to a vessel and not capable of holding a boat at anchor.