On April 16, Stephanie Stinson from the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) participated in the Palm Beach State College Earth Day event. The CRCP team educated students on coral reef conservation efforts local to Palm Beach and throughout the state.
On April 10-12, the Coral Reef Conservation Program and its Citizen Support Organization, Friends of Our Florida Reefs, participated in the annual Tortuga Music Festival’s Conservation Village on Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
On March 13, the Florida Keys Aquatic Preserves' Ecosystems Assessment Specialist, Noah Singer, joined the Reef Injury Prevention and Response team as they conducted an assessment of a section of the coral reef in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park that was damaged by a ship grounding. Teams from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Pennekamp also joined the project.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives. One funded project led by Dr. Nikki Fogarty titled Optimizing Reproductive Success of Corals Spawned in Land-based Nurseries, is using innovative methods to improve upon aquaria induced coral spawning, larval survival, settlement and growout.
Several Aquatic Preserve staff from the Southeast Region presented slides or posters at the SEACAR Project of Special Merit’s (PSM) Science Stories in Your Community Public Seminar showcasing work done in the region alongside the PSM team’s larger science communications initiatives.
Noah Singer, Ecosystem Assessment Specialist, and Robin Sarabia, AP Manager, of the Florida Keys Aquatic Preserve, met with representatives from SeaBase and SeaCamp to initiate the beginning stages of a partnership with both the organizations. These organizations host camp and school groups throughout the year to provide marine science-based activities to children of all ages.
Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve assisted in helping with hardbottom monitoring in Saint Martin's Marsh Aquatic Preserve and in Natures Coast Aquatic Preserve. Sponge, coral, invertebrates and many other aspects are being monitored as part of a 3-year grant project for the area.
Mote Marine Lab’s coral scientists joined Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserve staff to locate and map some hard corals in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve for future genetic sampling. One of the species does not fit either of the two local species in its genus. It may be a different species altogether. Four species of hard corals were observed on Tampa Bay hardbottom during this field visit with future collaborations planned.