BLEACHWATCH TRAINING WORKSHOP: Thursday July 14th
Coral bleaching, which is the corals’ loss of their symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, is a natural event that occurs to some extent every year in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary(FKNMS). While records show that coral bleaching events have been occurring for many years in the Florida Keys, indications are that the frequency and severity […]
Research Bolsters Importance of Horseshoe Crab Spawning for Migrating Shorebirds
ScienceDaily (July 5, 2011) — Speculation that the welfare of a small, at-risk shorebird is directly tied to horseshoe crab populations is in part supported by new scientific research, according to a U.S. Geological Survey- led study published in Ecosphere, a journal of the Ecological Society of America. Population health of the red knot, a […]
Scientists Map The Staghorn Coral Genome
by Underwatertimes.com News Service – July 5, 2011 18:28 EST CAIRNS, Australia — Australian scientists today announced they have sequenced the genome of the staghorn coral Acropora millepora, a major component of the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs worldwide. This is the first animal genome project to be carried out entirely in Australia, and […]
24th Annual Membership Meeting
All Reef Relief Members are cordially invited to the 24th Annual Reef Relief Membership Meeting Monday, July 18, 6pm-9pm Pier House Resort Caribbean Spa Room, 1 Duval Street, Key West Hear the annual State of the Reef Address, presentations by MOTE, FKNMS, and more… Join us this evening as we celebrate our marine environment […]
Divers seek protection for patch reef
Snapper Ledge known for its diversity of fish and corals BY TIMOTHY O’HARA. Key West Citizen July, 6, 2011 Upper Keys divers and conservationists are ramping up their efforts to create a no-fishing area on one of the Florida Keys’ most spectacular patch reefs, Snapper Ledge. They lobbied the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary two […]
Coral Reef Facts: July 5, 2011 – Cubera Snapper
Coral Reef Fact: The Cubera Snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus) is “oviparous, releasing pelagic eggs into offshore waters at spawning aggregation sites.” At these sites hundreds to thousands of fish meet to spawn. “The eggs hatch within a day of fertilization, producing pelagic larvae that are dispersed by the currents.” “Whale sharks are known to feed […]
We call it the ‘Blue Planet’, but only 1.3 per cent of our oceans are protected — and so far, mainly just on paper
New handbook for marine protected areas marks start of worldwide campaign ‘Homes for Whales and Dolphins’ wildelifeextra.com. July 2011. “Marine protected areas are steadily getting bigger which is good news for large marine predators with big habitats. Comparing the top 15 areas in 2005 to 2011, the average size has gone from just over 100,000 […]
Bahamas bans commercial shark fishing
By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post. Tuesday, July 5, 10:47 AM The Bahamas announced Tuesday morning it would end all commercial shark fishing in its waters, an area that encompasses more than 240,000 square miles. The move — under which only the catch and release of sharks is permitted — marks the second time in two weeks that […]
Mixed news for Keys beach-water quality
By LARRY KAHN. KEYNOTER The Natural Resources Defense Council on Wednesday released its annual survey of beach-water quality and public notification of health advisories against swimming or complete closures, and it’s a mixed bag for the Florida Keys for 2010. Overall, the council ranked Florida as having the sixth-best beach-water quality among the 50 states. […]
The world’s most important corals in need of conservation
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 11 January 2011 06.00 GMT Towering furry pillars, glowing tentacles and species that look like human brains are listed among the 10 most important evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (Edge) tropical coral species that conservationists say are in most urgent need of saving. See the gallery and learn more