In the span of 40 years, the coral reefs found in the Florida Keys have declined by almost 90%. Emergency action is being taken to help preserve the coral reefs found in the oceans surrounding Florida. The NOAA—the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—announced a proposal to expand a sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. This expansion would help protect 14 additional reefs. The article also mentioned coral cover, which is how the portion of reef surface covered by coral is measured. A healthy coral cover is considered to be 25%, whereas the coral cover in the Florida Keys has drastically declined to just 2%.
I really enjoyed reading this article.I didn’t know about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and it was very interesting to learn more about it. I think that the proposal made by the NOAA would be incredibly helpful not only for the coral reefs but for the species that live in these areas. I was devastated to read that the coral cover of the Florida Keys is 2% when a healthy coral cover is 25%. I think that it is very important to protect the coral in order to restore it and keep it alive.
I was also devastated to read this and learn that the coral has declined by 90%, and I think this is such an important issue and should be dealt with. I hope the NOAA takes action because I think they could make a hugely beneficial impact in regard to the coral reefs and the surrounding animals.
Hi Sydney! I completely agree with you, thank you so much for your comment!
The coral reef is super important to our planet and its super sad that we are losing so much of it, and we should do everything to protect it. What do you think we should do to protect it by the way?
Hi Dallin! I think that it’s incredibly important to increase the number of coral reef sanctuaries and expand the existing sanctuaries to make sure that our reefs are kept safe.