The Heroic Effort to Save Florida’s Coral Reef from Devastating Ocean Heat
heat wave. They carefully scraped away harmful algae and predators impinging on staghorn fragments, under the supervision and training of interns from Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education, or I.CARE.Normally, I.CARE’s volunteer divers would be transplanting corals to waters off the Florida Keys this time of year, as part of a national effort to restore the Florida Reef. But this year, everything is going in reverse.As water temperatures spiked in the Florida Keys, scientists from universities, coral reef restoration groups and government agencies launched a heroic effort to save the
NCCOS Awards $1.7M to Support Habitat Connectivity Research in National Marine Sanctuaries
NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science awarded $1.7 million of an anticipated $5.9 million over the next four to five years for three research projects to investigate species’ habitat usage and connectivity in and around national marine sanctuaries in the Florida Keys, Flower Garden Banks, and Stellwagen Bank.Marine protected areas (MPAs), such as national marine sanctuaries, are designated to protect significant natural and cultural resources within the marine environment for the benefit of present and future generations. While the use of MPAs has grown, there is still a gap in
AAM Launches 50’ Research Vessel for NOAA
a number of vessels for NOAA, and we are always excited to work with this essential agency. The Office of Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of marine protected areas encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa.”(Photo: All American Marine)On board the vessel there is approximately 250 square feet of working space on the aft deck, with a complete complement of working gear and an extensive grid of deck sockets. The deck sockets are spaced every two feet and
More Than $5.9 Mln Invested in Marine Debris Cleanup Projects
administrator. "These grants are going to help clean up our coastal and Great Lakes communities and further power the American blue economy by creating more attractive recreational opportunities."Among the projects selected are the removal of 21,000 pounds of marine debris from NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; the removal of at least 20 abandoned and derelict vessels from estuaries in North Carolina; the engagement of 500 students in Michigan to become Marine Debris Prevention Ambassadors and reduce waste produced in school lunchrooms;.and the development of a recycling program
JW Fishers Helps to Uncover History
In November of 2018, two archaeological maritime discoveries were made near the Upper Florida Keys by individuals who federal scientists lauded for reporting, rather than disturbing, their finds. Jennifer Kerr, owner of Sailfish Scuba, mile marker 103.1, was exploring the Hannah M. Bell shipwreck near Key Largo when she noticed a cannon on Elbow Reef that is now believed to be nearly 200 years old. The find comes the same month that Homestead commercial trap fisherman Jose Antonio Lopez Ruiz was looking overboard from his vessel and spotted what turned out to be the wooden wreckage from an
How Microbes Reflect the Health of Coral Reefs
A comparison of protected and impacted reefs in Cuba and Florida KeysMicroorganisms play important roles in the health and protection of coral reefs, yet exploring these connections can be difficult due to the lack of unspoiled reef systems throughout the global ocean. A collaborative study led by scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the Centro de Investigaciones Marinas - Universidad de La Habana (CIM-UH) compared seawater from 25 reefs in Cuba and the U.S. Florida Keys varying in human impact and protection, and found that those with higher microbial diversity and lower
Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate Retired
state since 1919. Hurricane Irma was a long-lived hurricane that reached category 5 intensity on Sept. 5. The catastrophic hurricane made seven landfalls, four of which occurred as a category 5 hurricane across the northern Caribbean Islands. Irma made landfall as a category 4 hurricane in the Florida Keys on Sept. 10 and struck southwestern Florida as a category 3 the same day. Irma caused 44 direct deaths as a result of its strong winds, heavy rain and high surf. In the U.S., seven direct deaths were reported, and an additional 85 indirect deaths occurred, 80 of which were in Florida. Hundreds
NOAA Releases 2018 Hydrographic Survey Plans
; Approaches to Houston, Texas – The current chart coverage of the area between Galveston Bay and Sabine Bank Channels shows numerous reported wrecks and obstructions. This survey will identify changes to the bathymetry and resolve position uncertainty in known hazards. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Fla. – This survey project provides updates to nautical charting products of the area and supports marine habitat research projects through the National Center for Coastal Ocean Science and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Atlantic Coast and
US, Cuba Open Doors to Marine Science Cooperation
together on some of the Caribbean’s most ecologically significant resources. The countries will first focus on five sensitive environmental areas--Cuba’s Guanahacabibes National Park, including its offshore coral reefs at Banco de San Antonio; NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks and Florida Keys national marine sanctuaries; and the Park Service’s Dry Tortugas and Biscayne national parks. Banco de San Antonio’s coral reef is home to more than 100 species of fish, 15 species of coral, 40 species of sponges, sea turtles and other marine life. The health of the reefs
February 2024
