NOAA Takes Emergency Steps to Protect Nursery Corals Ahead of Summer Heat

NOAA has issued an emergency rule establishing three, temporary special use areas in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary where coral restoration partners can quickly relocate nursery corals to cooler, deeper water. These temporary special use areas and associated access restrictions will expire on August 26, 2024 unless they are extended an additional 60 days.

The three sites, approximately 0.07 square miles and within federal waters of the sanctuary, are located in the upper, middle and lower Keys. Coral practitioners are in the process of utilizing the middle Keys site off Marathon.

For more details, including coordinates, visit this website.