Post Hurricane Irma Rapid Reef Assessment in South Florida and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Following Hurricane Irma, a multi-agency and partner effort was launched to conduct a rapid assessment of the Florida Coral Reef Tract, including areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Science divers surveyed more than 50 sites, from Biscayne Bay to the Marquesas, and found extensive shifting of sand and heavy sediment accumulation as well as some structural damage to individual corals and the reef itself. Using information from these surveys, a parallel effort to stabilize corals in the most impacted locations was also undertaken. Scientists will share preliminary findings from the assessment cruise and triage activities as well as how such a collaborative effort was coordinated.

This webinar originally aired on 11 January, 2018 and was presented by Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Tom Moore of the NOAA Restoration Center 

Webinar co-sponsored by the NOAA National MPA Center, MPA News, and the EBM Tools Network (co-coordinated by OCTO and NatureServe).

Click here to download a copy of this webinar from our Vimeo page

Click here to watch this video on YouTube