With this summer's extreme heat threatening the future of Florida's Coral Reef, Mote Marine Laboratory scientists are taking unprecedented action to save thousands of endangered corals—and we need your help.
With the aid of more than 70 staff members, six Mote research vessels, and immense support from the Keys community, Mote scientists carefully transported thousands of stressed corals from our offshore coral-restoration nurseries in Sand Key, Looe Key, Islamorada, and Key Largo, in a matter of days to our land-based nurseries in Summerland Key, Key Largo, and Islamorada, as well as to our 200-acre Mote Aquaculture Research Park (MAP) in Sarasota.
Now, expert staff are working diligently to aid in the recovery of these stressed corals despite their recent exposure to the extreme water temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Through this unprecedented effort, Mote took on a significant financial burden with no assurance it will ever be recouped. These expenditures have been extreme, to the point of negatively impacting Mote operations.
Mote needs your help now to save these corals.
DONATE TO HELP CORAL REEFS
More than just a rescue
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These evacuated corals have a major part to play in Mote's long-term, science-based effort to restore resilient coral reefs, the rainforests of the sea that support countless marine species. For now, we are focused on ensuring the health and well being of these corals and those that remain in our offshore nurseries. Through it all, we are laser-focused on restoring our precious reefs—by banking diverse coral genetic varieties (genotypes) and getting as many as possible back offshore and into our restoration pipeline.
Mote's restoration efforts are guided by our innovative science designed to give our restored corals critical advantages in our changing seas.
Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby says: “Mote scientists are using this unusually high seawater temperature event to conduct a number of studies at both our offshore nurseries and restoration sites throughout the Keys to help significantly enhance genetic resiliency research that will, ultimately, increase survival of outplanted coral in our broader ten-year Florida Coral Reef Restoration Initiative.”