Around the Reef

By Michelle Riley Communications & Public Outreach Coordinator Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Mayor Van Johnson of Savannah has proclaimed January 16 “Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Day,” in recognition of the sanctuary’s 40th anniversary. The proclamation reads, in part: “…in Savannah, in honor of 40 years as the only protected natural reef in the Atlantic Ocean between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida, I call upon all citizens to conserve and protect this special ocean treasure, and to fish and dive responsibly in the sanctuary.”

On January 16, 1981, President Jimmy Carter designated Gray’s Reef as a national marine sanctuary, primarily because of the great abundance of marine life and diversity of species found at the reef. It is teeming with life -- more than 200 species of fish and more than 900 species of invertebrates. Gray’s Reef exemplifies the “live-bottom, hard-bottom” reefs found off the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Florida.

In addition to the mayor’s proclamation, former President Carter has written a letter of remembrance to the director of the National Marine Sanctuary System. President Carter writes of the importance of national marine sanctuaries, and his pleasure in designating Gray’s Reef and three other sites.

Gray’s Reef is one of only 14 national marine sanctuaries and is managed by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Live bottom at Gray's Reef. Photo by Greg McFall/NOAA The sanctuary is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), within the Department of Commerce. Like our national parks, national marine sanctuaries are open to visitors and belong to the people of the United States of America. The sanctuaries seek to preserve the extraordinary beauty, biodiversity, cultural history, and economic productivity of our most precious underwater sites. A healthy ocean is the basis for thriving recreation, tourism, and commercial activities that drive coastal economies.

Gray’s Reef is located 19 miles due east of Sapelo Island. It’s a great place for recreational fishing and diving. Black sea bass, amberjack, cobia, gag and scamp grouper, whitebone porgy, king mackerel, and gray triggerfish attract fishers to the sanctuary. There are some regulations that sanctuary users abide by to protect the reef. Generally, two of the most widely known regulations are that only rod and reel and handline fishing gear can be used at Gray’s Reef, and anchoring is not allowed anywhere inside the sanctuary. Anglers must use descending devices to return unwanted or prohibited fish back to depth.

Many divers have never seen a natural live-bottom reef before and are awestruck by the panoramic views and vivid colors. Advanced divers that visit Gray’s Reef regularly swim with blue angelfish, cocoa damselfish, painted wrasse, seaweed blenny, spotfin butterflyfish, and other colorful inhabitants. The bottom of the reef is a divers’ delight. There, tiny seahorses wrap around sea fans, loggerhead sea turtles rub against the rocky ledges to scratch their backs and nurse sharks lie almost motionless under the outcroppings. At every turn, something new comes into focus. Divers have been knows to get caught up in “fish tornadoes,” with thousands of small fish swimming all around them. Divers know to “look, but don’t touch,” which preserves the reef and protects its inhabitants.

As the sanctuary marks its 40th year, it continues to provide essential habitat to thousands of ocean creatures. Human visitors to Gray’s Reef are valuable stewards that help keep the sanctuary vibrant and healthy for future generations.

For Information contact Michelle Riley: (912) 598-2417 michelle.riley@noaa.gov