a large white building sitting next to a lush green field

DESERT FACILITY RECREATES CONDITIONS ON THE REEF

By Maria Betancourt In the realm of research, Biosphere 2 stands as a pioneering experiment that captured imaginations with its ambitious attempt to replicate Earth's...
a scuba diver with an octopus in the ocean

HISTORY OF DIVING LECTURE DELVES INTO OCTOPUS BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

The History of Diving Museum’s “Immerse Yourself” lecture series will welcome Florida Atlantic University’s Chelsea Bennice for a discussion on octopus biology and behavior....
a person is swimming in the ocean

RESEARCHERS ASSESS KEYS’ CORAL HEALTH FOLLOWING MARINE HEAT WAVE

A team of researchers from NOAA’s Mission: Iconic Reefs program and partners from Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and the Coral Restoration Foundation have...
a man holding a small turtle in front of a fence

RENOWNED VETERINARIAN DOUG MADER DISCUSSES GLOBAL WARMING EFFECTS ON SEA TURTLES

The College of the Florida Keys continues its 2024 VIP Series with “Global Warming and Wildlife” on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in...
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SHE EMPOWERED NEW GENERATIONS OF UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGISTS. NOW SHE’S GETTING RECOGNITION

Brenda Altmeier, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary maritime heritage coordinator, recently received the Silver Sherman Award. The honor recognizes NOAA employees who perform work...
a group of people standing in front of a fish tank

CRITICAL CORALS: WARM WATERS & BLEACHING PLAGUED REEF IN 2023

A heat wave in the Florida Keys brought a large-scale coral rescue effort among reef restoration organizations in 2023.  BLEACHING BEGINS Spells of intense heat during...
a turtle is swimming in the water

TURTLE NEST NUMBERS EXPLODE IN FLORIDA

This year’s sea turtle nesting numbers were record-breaking. Statewide statistics for 2023 from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) counted 133,941 loggerhead sea...
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NOAA EXTENDS TEMPORARY SPECIAL USE AREA FOR CORAL NURSERIES

A coral nursery in federal waters about five miles southeast of Tavernier will retain special use protections for an additional 60 days after NOAA...
a man in a scuba suit is on a rope in the water

FLORIDA KEYS’ RESCUED CORALS RETURNING TO OCEAN-BASED NURSERIES

“This is the good news story everyone needs,” said a smiling Cindy Lewis, the director of Florida Institute of Oceanography’s Keys Marine Laboratory (KML)...
a man and a woman looking at a fish in a tank

CELEBRATE THE SEA AT MOTE MARINE’S OCEAN FEST DEC. 3

Ocean aficionados and eco-travelers can celebrate the Florida Keys’ marine environment, including the continental United States’ only coral barrier reef, during Mote Marine Laboratory’s...