Since April 2023, 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.

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
CIRA
Footage of Corals of the Atlantic, Gulf, Keys, Caribbean courtesy of NOAA Fisheries.
Music: “Manifest” by James Joshua Otto [PRS]; Nova Production Music; Universal Production Music

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