The Endangered Species Coalition, Oceana, and The Surfrider Foundation will host an educational “Lunch & Learn” session on Wednesday, August 26, at 12:00 p.m. ET. The meeting will be held at the History of Diving Museum, located at 82990 Overseas Highway in Islamorada.
Following the midday event, organizers have scheduled public rallies in both Islamorada and Key West on Saturday, August 29.
The upcoming gatherings are being held in response to a March 31, 2026, federal decision that exempted Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas operations from key Endangered Species Act safeguards. Marking the first exemption of its kind in more than 30 years, the ruling removed specific protections for several imperiled regional species, including sea turtles, manatees, Rice’s whales, sperm whales, corals, and birds.
“The Florida Keys are not simply a vacation destination. They are a living marine ecosystem, a fishing community and a tourism economy,” said Susan Holmes, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “Weakening wildlife protections for offshore drilling puts sea turtles, manatees, corals and other marine life at risk. It also threatens the local businesses and working families whose livelihoods depend on clean water and healthy reefs.”
The surrounding waters of the island chain fall within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which covers approximately 4,539 square miles. The protected area supports over 6,000 marine species, the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the largest documented contiguous seagrass bed in the Northern Hemisphere.
Local waters contain some of the highest concentrations of sea turtles in the Gulf region, providing vital nesting and foraging grounds for green, loggerhead, and hawksbill species. The area also serves as critical habitat for manatees and threatened coral species already facing pressure from rising water temperatures, disease, and ocean acidification.
Event organizers expect attendees to include elected officials, local residents, conservationists, dive shop operators, and commercial fishing families.
“When wildlife thrives, Florida Keys communities thrive,” Holmes added. “Strong, science-based protections help sustain fisheries, tourism, recreation and the natural heritage we have a responsibility to pass on to future generations.”
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