DIVING NEWS
Costly plan to restore Florida reefs
Picture: Bob Care.
Plans to raise almost US $100 million to restore seven coral-reef sites, proposed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, are claimed to represent one of the biggest coral-restoration projects ever put forward.
Since the 1970s tropical cyclones, heat-induced coral-bleaching, cold snaps and disease events have reduced coral coverage in the Florida Keys.
Dubbed “Mission: Iconic Reefs”, the 20-year restoration programme would cover some 280,000 sq m of the Florida Reef Tract.
The sites, which lie between Key Largo and Key West, are Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Sombrero Reef, Newfound Harbor, Looe Key Reef and Eastern Dry Rocks.
Apart from their geographical distribution, they are said to have been selected to represent habitat diversity and ability to support a variety of human uses, and on the basis that they offer a high probability of success.
“These reefs have been suffering from a number of threats for years, as have reefs around the world,” said sanctuary superintendent Sarah Fangman. “We anticipate funding to support this mission to come from a variety of sources – state, federal, non-profit and private partnerships.”
The first 10-year phase of the project would focus on restoring elkhorn and staghorn corals, fast-growing species that have not been affected by a current outbreak of stony-coral tissue-loss disease. Resilient corals of other slower-growing species would also be incorporated.
21 December 2019
Scientists would work to remove nuisance and invasive species such as algae and snails, and reintroduce sea urchins and crabs to help keep the reefs clean and healthy.
The second phase would concentrate on introducing slower-growing, foundational coral species, propagated from colonies that have survived or been rescued from bleaching and disease events.
The goal would be to restore diversity and ecological function to the reefs by returning coral cover to a self-sustaining level.
Partners in the project include the State of Florida, Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Florida Aquarium, Nature Conservancy, Reef Renewal and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
