On June 6, the Coral Reef Conservation Program team and Friends of Our Florida Reefs cohosted the 15th Annual Southeast Florida Reef Cleanup. Joined by six dive operators and 100 enthusiastic divers, the teams removed human made debris from the reefs of the Kristin Jacobs Coral Aquatic Preserve. Divers removed 361 pounds of debris from 12 dive sites. The debris items co

The Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve (BBAP) Sponge Restoration team was able to begin sponge outplanting. The team started with 10 outplanted vase sponges (Ircinia campana) in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Further outplanting will be occurring throughout next year and throughout the many basins that comprise BBAP. 

DEP Coral Protection & Restoration Program (CPR) and Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) spent two days collecting sediment and water samples in Broward County as part of a DEP CPR-funded project to investigate pollutants in sediment pore water. The DEP dive teams collected over 60 samples across the two days with topside support from NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS).

On July 14th, the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) along with Friends of Our Florida Reef and Southeast Florida Action Network (SEAFAN) successfully held the 14th Annual Southeast Florida Reef Cleanup. Five dive shops participated throughout Palm Beach County, Broward County and Miami-Dade County, including, DECO Divers, ACE Diving, Pura Vida Divers, Kyalami Divers, and Sea Experience.