In the unforgettable “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, the buccaneers were guided by a code of conduct that was originally created by the Brethren Court of pirate lords. Theoretically, its rules were strict and unbending — but before the end of the first film, heroine Elizabeth Swann convinced the crew of the pirate vessel Black Pearl that “they’re more like guidelines, anyway.” 

Pirates still roam the Keys ... though only during the annual Pirates in Paradise festival.

For many years, the Florida Keys have been known as the American Caribbean. These days indigenous buccaneers are few and far between (except during a pair of rowdy and terrific annual pirate fests), but Keys compadres are definitely guided by a code of conduct.

The Keys code was designed to protect a treasure richer than any pirate gold — the region’s amazing natural environment.

The Florida Keys are paralleled by the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef. The reef ecosystem, much like a tropical rainforest, supports an incredibly diverse population of plants and animals.

In fact, the entire land mass of the Keys is surrounded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which was established in 1990 by the United States government.

Tiny Key deer are among the species protected by the Keys code.

Visitors will also find land-based refuges where birds, wildlife and their habitat are protected — including the Lower Keys’ National Key Deer Refuge that’s home to shy, soft-eyed miniature deer the size of large dogs.

While the code of conduct in the “Pirates” films proved to be somewhat elastic, the Keys code should be followed at all times by everyone who cares about the area’s environment. Its core is the Ten Keymandments listed here.

1. Don’t anchor on a reef. (Reefs are alive. Alive. A-L-I-V-E.)

2. Don’t trash our place. (Or we’ll send Bubba to trash yours.)

3. Don’t speed. (Especially on Big Pine Key where Key deer reside, and tar-and-feathering is still practiced.)

4. Don’t collect conch. (This species is protected. By Bubba.)

When diving or snorkeling, it's especially important to respect the Keys' environmental resources.

5. Don’t damage the sea grass. (And don’t even think about making a skirt out of it.)

6. Don’t feed the animals. (They’ll want to follow you home, and you can’t keep them.)

7. Don’t touch the coral. (After all, you don’t even know them.)

8. Don’t catch more fish than you can eat. (Better yet, let them go. Some of them support schools.)

9. Don’t disturb the bird nests. (They find it very annoying.)

10. Don’t drink and drive. On land or sea. (There’s absolutely nothing funny about it.)

Throughout the Florida Keys, knowledgeable eco-tour guides are eagerly waiting to share the island chain’s natural world with visitors — whether on a kayaking paddle through tranquil waters and surreal mangrove tangles, an excursion to view playful dolphins in the wild, or a dive or snorkeling trip in America’s first underwater park.

To whet your appetite for eco-adventures in the Keys, visit www.fla-keys.com/ecotourism. And don’t forget … to protect and preserve the Keys’ environmental treasures, matey, always follow the code.