Tag: Florida Keys

During the Coral Health Experience, divers record their observations of healthy, diseased, paling, or bleached corals on a dive slate, and later transfer the data to a state-wide public database. Photo: Rachel Plunkett/NOAA

Becoming an Iconic Reef Guardian: A Purposeful Dive in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

3/22/2026 - By Sanctuaries.noaa.gov, Sanctuaries.noaa.gov. The first time I laid eyes on a coral reef was in the Florida Keys in 2012 after I had just learned to scuba dive. I remember hovering above the reef in awe trying to take in the colors of coral and sponges, the fish moving through… SEE MORE

Florida Keys: World-Class Fishing Access from Island Harbors

1/20/2026 - By Shawn Bean, sportfishingmag.com. The Florida Keys' extensive network of marinas, boat ramps, and charter operations provides exceptional access to one of America's most diverse fishing grounds. For harbor operators and boaters planning Keys trips, understanding the infrastructure across the island chain's five distinct districts helps maximize time on the… SEE MORE

The NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Buoy Team performs maintenance on boundary buoys for Carysfort Reef Sanctuary Preservation Area. Photo: Brittany Torres/NOAA

Buoyed by the Mission: The People and Work Behind Your Florida Keys Mooring Buoys

4/1/2025 - By sanctuaries.noaa.gov. A program in Hawai‘i is trying to increase food security and reduce food waste by using every part of the fish, from bone marrow to blood lines—even making the skin into leather! One thing all Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Buoy Team members have in common is a love of… SEE MORE

NOAA Releases Final Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

12/29/2024 - By noaa.gov. After years of devastating impacts to the marine environment in the Florida Keys, the long-awaited Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be published as a final rule in January, following today's release of the final environmental impact statement and management plan. The documents outline NOAA's regulatory… SEE MORE

The Future of Coral Restoration in the Florida Keys after Unprecedented Marine Heat Wave of 2023

Coastal News

5/20/2024 - By Haley Thiem. In the summer of 2023, portions of the Florida Keys experienced an extreme marine heat wave, unlike any other in recorded history for the region. Heat records were broken and some reefs were completely bleached—they expelled their food-producing algal partners and turned white. Throughout this prolonged heat wave NOAA scientists and partners raced… SEE MORE

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/southeast/sawfish-deaths-florida-keys-scientists/

Emergency Response Effort for Endangered Sawfish

3/31/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is documenting reports of abnormal fish behavior, including spinning and whirling, in the Lower Florida Keys. Along with this abnormal behavior, there have also been reports of fish deaths in these areas, including more than 28 smalltooth sawfish as of March 24. The… SEE MORE

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/49242/20240315/critically-endangered-sawfish-wash-up-dead-dying-florida-shores-baffling.htm

Bizarre fish behavior baffles experts in Lower Florida Keys

3/23/2024 - By Louis Aguirre. BIG PINE KEY, Fla. – A marine mystery has researchers searching for answers in the Lower Florida Keys. Since December, 20 critically endangered smalltooth sawfish have been reported dead, according to the latest numbers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “This is a very large species… SEE MORE

Florida Python Hunt Set for August

6/19/2022 - By APnews. Flanked by a huge writhing snake, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday that the annual prize-winning hunt for invasive Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades will begin Aug. 5. People must register to participate and complete an online training course for the event, which typically draws hundreds from… SEE MORE

What’s Your Vision for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary?

10/23/2019 - MIAMI – For the first time since its creation in 1990, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is giving recreational boaters and anglers the unique opportunity to help shape its future by commenting on the draft Restoration Blueprint. The plan could expand the sanctuary’s boundary, update regulations, modify and establish… SEE MORE