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. 

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

Visit Coral Restoration Foundation on Instagram

Check out NOAA on InstagramInstagram for US National Marine Sanctuaries

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Pfeffer’s flamboyant cuttlefish, Metasepia pfefferi is one of the smallest cuttlefish growing up to 8cm in length and the prettiest of the species making it a favourite subject for scuba divers and underwater photographers.

Flamboyant cuttlefish are found in tropical shallow Indo-Pacific waters off northern Australia, southern New Guinea, as well as numerous islands of the Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. They like shallow waters and muddy or sandy substrates and sometimes reef-associated around the rubble zone and are spotted at Lembeh or Ambon dive sites. Often active during the day and have been observed hunting small fish and crustaceans.

Like all cuttlefish have a ‘cuttlebone’ that they use for buoyancy.  The flamboyant’s cuttlebone is extra-small and so they have a hard time with buoyancy, finding it hard to swim and hover midwater like other cuttlefish. They can’t swim for very long without sinking to the bottom. Instead, actually “walk” along the bottom of the seabed, displaying stunning changing colors and patterns, the only cuttlefish species known to do so.

Like other cuttlefish, the flamboyant use their ink to deceive predators. It will eject the ink from its funnel into the water to form an ink cloud while it swims to safety. However, it’s a very small squirt! Did you know that cuttlefish ink was the original sepia which was once used by artists – nowadays replaced mostly with synthetic sepia.

These beautiful cuttlefish get their name from the flamboyant pink, yellow and black ripples they make with their bodies when alarmed. They are the only species of cuttlefish known to have any poisons and they carry a unique toxin in their muscles. Research has shown the toxin to be as lethal as that of fellow cephalopod the Blue-ringed octopus.

Like other cephalopods, the flamboyant cuttlefish breeds once and then dies. Copulation takes place face to face.  The male inserts a packet of sperm into a pouch on the underside of the female’s mantle and the female then fertilises her eggs with the sperm. The eggs are laid singly and placed in crevices or on ledges in coral, rock or wood or even the odd coconut shell! A bit of a hard life for the tiny creature!

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See more of Jack Fung’s underwater photography on Instagram

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Introducing the Cliff Coast – it’s nothing short of epic as you meander between Galway Bay and Tralee.

Be wowed with panoramic views from dramatic cliff edges. Feel blasts of the fresh sea air with lighthouse walks. Get up close to dolphins, grab a fireside seat at a traditional music session and walk along some of Ireland’s most exhilarating coastal scenery. Here come the cliffs between Galway and Tralee…

Day One
From the cobbled streets of Galway to the cool grey rock of the Burren, journey through beautiful landscapes, past fairytale castles and into the heart of Ireland’s neolithic past.

Medieval lives and delicious seafood

Famous for its culture, “craic” and laidback bohemian vibes, Galway city is perfectly suited for exploring on foot, and a walking tour is a great way to enjoy it. Get a history fix at the Galway City Museum, soak up the medieval atmosphere of the Spanish Arch overlooking the sea, or grab a bite to eat in Ard Bia, Kai or McDonagh’s – a top spot for fish and chips.
 
COME AT FESTIVAL TIME
Join the fun at the Galway International Arts Festival (July) when the City of Tribes becomes a festival of surprises. 

See a fairytale castle

Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking Galway Bay, Dunguaire Castle is the star of a million photos. This craggy, romantic 16th-century tower sits just outside the pretty village of Kinvara, and in the early 20th century was a meeting place for some of Ireland’s greatest writers, including WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and JM Synge. 
 
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Book ahead and make a night of it with dinner and literary readings at the Dunguaire Castle Banquet (seasonal).

Traditional Ballyvaughan and the moon-like Burren

The picturesque little village of Ballyvaughan is the perfect place to start exploring one of Ireland’s most incredible landscapes – the Burren, part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. Stark grey rock tumbles over the land here right down to the Atlantic Ocean, and following a walking trail from the village is a great way to experience this karst limestone region up close. In the village, stop off for a cake at the Alice in Wonderland-style An Fear Gorta Tea and Garden Rooms – it’s a delight.

DON’T MISS
If you’re visiting on a Saturday between May and October, the Ballyvaughan Farmers’ Market has everything you’ll need for a picnic!

Day Two

Journey to the centre of the earth – almost – then emerge to roar at the impeccably stunning Cliffs of Moher.

Venture into a magical underworld

You can’t visit this part of the world without going underground – at least for a little while. Deep down in the Aillwee Cave, nestled into a limestone terraced mountainside, you can seek out fossils, explore beautiful caverns and wander through the chasms and bridges carved through the limestone over millions of years. Don’t want to go below ground? Talk a Hawk Walk with a feathered friend at the Burren Birds of Prey Centre. 

Feel the vibes of a trad music pub in Doolin

Passing through the lively village of Lisdoonvarna, the road winds around until you get to Doolin – one of the best places in Ireland to catch some traditional music. Stop for a bite to eat at the Wild Honey Inn, just outside Lisdoonvarna, then step into McGann’s or Gus O’Connor’s in the evening, and you’ll find a toe-tapping music session taking place, with a great warm atmosphere that keeps things going late into the night.
 
COME AT FESTIVAL TIME
Make a date – literally – at the brilliant Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival (September).

Roar at the Cliffs of Moher

Stretching out into the mist along the Irish coastline, the Cliffs of Moher are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Waves crash below, seabirds whirl above and paths wind along the cliff-edge with photo opportunities all the way. Unmissable. Take a walk along the incredible Cliff Path (8km) from Doolin – all that exercise is well worth it for the views.
 
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Marvel at the scale of the cliffs from sea level with O’Brien Line cruises departing from Doolin.

Day Three

Watch the aqua acrobatics from this fine surfing hub, before journeying to a place called Lover’s Leap.

Laidback vibes in Lahinch

Boasting a scenic location at the tip of Liscannor Bay, Lahinch is a small and buzzy coastal village that’s a big hit with surfers. Surfing makes for a fascinating spectator sport, so pick your vantage point and watch the thrills on the waves – any time of year. Or perhaps you’d prefer to be on the greens at Lahinch Golf Club, a world-renowned links course that’s challenged many a great since opening in the 1890s.
 
DON’T MISS
Drop into the very friendly Barrtrá Seafood restaurant just outside Lahinch for deliciously fresh fish and shellfish.

Walk on the wild side in Kilkee

A favourite holiday haunt since Victorian times, Kilkee – the gateway to Loop Head – has seen Lord Alfred Tennyson, Charlotte Brontë, Che Guevara, Richard Harris and Russell Crowe all head here to refresh the soul and the spirit. Protected from the full force of the Atlantic by a reef called Duggerna Rock, take a walk on the wild side along the Kilkee Cliff Walk – an exhilarating 8km loop that takes you past natural swimming spots called the Pollock Holes, incredible blow holes along the cliff edges. Stunning. 
 
DON’T MISS
Pop into Murphy Blacks in Kilkee for a great selection of seafood dishes – and to hear the secret of Kilstiffin – a hidden city that appears just once every 100 years!

Feel the power of nature at Loop Head

Follow the one main road, crisscrossed by quiet boreens (narrow country roads), and you’re at the place where the sheltered Shannon Estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean. This is Loop Head, where the views stretch out to the Blasket Islands in Kerry, and spotting dolphins, whales, seals and seabirds is commonplace. This is another spot with a World War II relic: large white letters spelling ÉIRE were placed on the peninsula to let pilots know they were entering neutral airspace. Climb to the top of the lighthouse and look down on Ross Beach, where sea urchins, barnacles, limpets, and the beautiful strawberry anemone rest. Nature at its finest. 

DON’T MISS
Just past the lighthouse, you’ll find Lover’s Leap – a giant sea stack with an intriguing legend aptly called Diarmuid and Gráinne’s Rock.

Day Four

Let the Atlantic winds heighten your senses while out at sea with the dolphins, before taking a sip at the home of the Irish Coffee.

Say hello to the dolphins

At the very place where the Shannon River opens into the Atlantic Ocean is Europe’s largest group of bottlenose dolphins. A beautiful sight! Take a boat trip with Dolphinwatch at Carrigaholt, and see these wonderful creatures (and perhaps a few grey seals) in their natural habitat. Back on land, you might catch a glimpse of a herd of wild goats or even nesting seabirds. No surprise then that this place is one of the BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Top Ten Attractions in Ireland!
 
DON’T MISS
The Killimer-Tarbert car ferry not only cuts down travelling time, it straddles the counties of Clare and Kerry, taking in some terrific scenery all the way!

Aviation history and an Irish Coffee

“Is this Brazilian coffee?”, someone asked. “No,” replied Joe, “that’s Irish Coffee.” It’s one of the many tales you’ll hear at the Flying Boat and Maritime Museum in Foynes, County Limerick. Invented in 1942 by chef Joe Sheridan at Foynes Port, where planes en route from Europe to America would stop to refuel, he whipped it up one cold winter’s night for passengers who were delayed due to bad weather! Of course, the museum is also a haven for those enthralled with the brave stories from aviation history.
 
DON’T MISS
Tee off at Ballybunion Golf Club, played by Tiger Woods during his travels around Ireland, before making your way to Tralee.

For more information click here

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