World Reef Day Announcement: Mission Florida Reef

Today is the first-ever #worldreefday. It comes as these vital ecosystems face unprecedented challenges from global warming, ocean acidification, poor water quality, plastic pollution, overfishing, human activity… It’s a long and depressing list. But we believe that we can turn things around. Which is why #OceanX, along with scientific partners Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Mote Marine Lab, are headed to the Florida Keys to undertake a first-of-its kind survey of America's only living great barrier reef. The Florida Reef provides habitat for more than 6,000 species and generates almost $6 billion to Florida’s economy. But over the decades the reef system has been in serious decline due to impacts of climate change, overfishing, poor water quality, physical destruction, and Stony Coral Tissue Loss disease. Coral coverage has become critically low in this region, with only 5% remaining. However, Floridians in recent years have made massive strides in improving water quality, curbing pollution, and supporting coral reef restoration. This mission will serve as a vital signs check on the reef, shedding new light on what keeps corals healthy (and what makes them sick), and helping us to better understand Stony Coral Tissue Loss disease. We hope that the scientific output from this mission will inform and support conservation and restoration efforts to revitalize the reef. We'll be posting live from #Alucia on our social channels starting mid-next week and we’d love to have you join us. This mission was made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners Bloomberg Philanthropies and their Vibrant Oceans Initiative.