By Kevin Majoros
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to North America’s only living coral barrier reef. The reef tract spans 225 continuous miles and is composed of outer reefs and patch reefs containing over 50 species of corals while hosting over 150 species of fish.
Upwards of 90 percent of the live corals that once covered the reefs have been lost over the years to a variety of factors including misplaced boat anchors, ship groundings, pollution, overfishing, storms, disease and warming ocean temperatures.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and partners have begun a decades-long approach to restore corals at seven ecologically and culturally significant reef sites in the Florida Keys. Their efforts will be an attempt to reverse the health of the corals and protect the economy that depends on them.
Coral Restoration with a Focus at the Ecosystem Level
Without the restoration efforts, the corals would no longer be able to provide the structure and habitat for more than 6,000 species of plants and animals.
The ecosystem is already changing to an algae-dominated habitat and the need for action has become urgent. In addition to not being able to provide shelter for species such as spiny lobsters and sea turtles, the decline of the coral reefs will force a shift in the economy of the Florida Keys resulting in a change in the local culture.
“The once iconic coral reefs of the Florida Keys have suffered dramatic declines over the last 40 years and now straddle a tipping point,” says Dr Neil Jacobs, acting NOAA administrator. “Quick and decisive action has the very real potential to turn this decline around before it’s too late.”
The Approach to Large Scale Coral Restoration
The sites selected for restoration are Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Sombrero Reef, Newfound Harbor, Looe Key Reef, and Eastern Dry Rocks.
These sites cover the geographic range of the region and all either have a history of small-scale restoration success or have characteristics that suggest restoration is likely to succeed.
NOAA’s approach is informed by years of research, successful trials, and expertise from more than two dozen coral scientists and restoration practitioners. NOAA will proactively intervene with natural conditions by removing nuisance and invasive species and introducing disease-resistant and climate-resilient corals.
During the phases, sea gardeners will conduct routine monitoring and nurturing of each site. This will include removing marine debris, coral predators, and species that might compete for space. They will also reattach any corals that may have been damaged or disconnected.
“Ten years ago, this project would be just a wild dream,” says Ken Nedimyer, Reef Renewal founder. “But now we are at a place in time where we have the technology to undertake a project of this size and we have a window of opportunity to do so. Not only can we think about doing it, but the need to do it is overwhelming.”
Partners Working Together on Coral Nurseries
Mission: Iconic Reefs, unparalleled in scope and scale, will require nearly 500,000 stony coral colonies. That number of corals is a huge lift, but by working together, multiple partners are up to the task.
Coral Restoration Foundation™ (CRF) is the world’s largest non-profit marine-conservation organization dedicated to restoring coral reefs to a healthy state, in Florida and globally. The restoration of Carysfort Reef (one of eight reef sites being fully restored by CRF™) is being undertaken with support from Ocean Reef Club and Ocean Reef Conservation Association.
Some partners, including Reef Renewal, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and Coral Restoration Foundation, will raise the quick-growing Phase 1 coral in nurseries in the ocean. Mote and The Florida Aquarium will augment these farms with corals grown in laboratories. These will be slower-growing corals, corals screened for resilience and corals bred to increase genetic diversity.
“We have been working on scaling up our restoration efforts,” says Scott Winters, CEO of Coral Restoration Foundation. “But if we want to save the Florida Reef Tract, we can be more effective if we work together. We have an opportunity to combine our expertise to have a hugely significant impact on the future of our coral reefs.”
The effort to put Florida Keys coral reefs on track for recovery is an enormous undertaking, requiring long-term collaboration between many partners. A cross-NOAA team is engaging world-renowned scientists, local restoration partners, and other federal and state agencies.
Volunteers have also been invited to assist with invasive species removal and long-term nursery and reef maintenance. The Blue Star Diving program was created by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with input from local Keys dive and snorkel shop staff and owners and REEF Environmental Education Foundation.
Blue Star is a voluntary recognition program established to reduce the impact of divers, snorkelers and anglers on the ecosystems of the Florida Keys.
“The reefs are home to this community. They are part of our way of life,” says Sarah Fangman, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent. “We want to give people the chance to be part of healing the Keys, and we need the community’s support to make this vision a reality.”
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This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media