Florida Aquarium assists in Keys reef restoration

TAMPA, Fla. - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration want to restore seven reefs along the Keys reef tract from Key Largo to Key West.

Reefs along the Keys once had coral coverage of 30-40 %, now the coral cover is more like 2%.

“Frankly, we cannot afford to let these declines continue. We cannot afford not to act,” Sarah Fangman, the sanctuary superintendent. “These systems are in a state that without our active help, they cannot recover fast enough.”

Now NOAA will be joining forces with several different agencies, including the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, to restore coral.

"Coral reefs are often referred to as the rainforests of the sea and 25 % of the fish in sea actually rely on coral reefs at some point," said Amber Whittle, Director of Conservation at the Florida Aquarium. 

The reefs range from Carysfort off Key Largo to Eastern Dry Rocks off Key West. They are among the most popular with divers and snorkelers. The new plan calls them “iconic.”

"The partnership is really important because there are a lot of different institutions involved in restoration. So, to have a big plan like this...that includes going out and clearing algae off the reefs... to out planting them, then also coming back and maintaining them," added Whittle. 

The first phase of the project is expected to last 5-7 years and cost about $97 million.

The second phase of the project would last another 10 to 12 years. The goal is to eventually get to 25 % coral cover at the restoration sites.