Extreme Ocean Temperatures are Affecting Florida’s Coral Reefs | NOAA

Extreme Ocean Temperatures are Affecting Florida’s Coral Reefs | NOAA

Since April 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been monitoring a steady rise in ocean temperatures, which is resulting in unprecedented heat stress conditions in the Caribbean basin, including waters surrounding Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. On Thursday, August 17, 2023, NOAA scientists provided a briefing on how these record-breaking warm ocean temperatures have stressed, bleached, and in some cases, killed corals within the 3,800 square miles of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

https://floridakeys.noaa.gov

Florida is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico; Alabama to the northwest; Georgia to the north; the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean to the east; and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. It is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Coral reefs are often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea," due to their incredible biodiversity and ecological importance. They provide vital benefits as part of marine ecosystems by sustaining habitats for marine life, buffering the harmful impacts of storms on coastal communities, and supporting local economies through tourism and fishing. 

Credits: NOAA, NASA, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

Footage of Corals of the Atlantic, Gulf, Keys, Caribbean courtesy of NOAA Fisheries.

Duration: 2 minutes, 17 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 18, 2023

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