Mote coral reef restoration experts return evacuated corals to underwater nurseries
November 20, 2023
Purchase Your Reef Plate | Reef Plate Reminder | Importance of Corals | How You’re Helping | Read More
Get Your Tag!
If you're a Florida driver, you can help support Florida’s underwater treasure with the purchase of a Protect Our Reefs license plate.
Each plate sold in the state of Florida provides a $25 donation to Mote Marine Laboratory and helps to fund coral reef research, restoration, education and conservation.
You can even purchase the plate as a gift for your favorite reef-natic.
Find and visit your local Tax Collector's OfficeIf your birthday is within the next 60 days, please visit your local Tax Collector’s Office to renew your registration and switch to the Protect Our Reefs license plate in the same transaction.
Protect Our Reefs Grant Program
Experts estimate that as many as 50% of the marine animals, organisms and plants in Florida’s saltwater environment depend on coral reefs or derive some benefit from reefs during their life cycles. Sadly, the last 40 years have not been kind to our coral reefs, and we’ve witnessed losses of more than 90% of our indigenous coral coverage here in Florida. Some populations of coral species have declined by as much as 97%.
To help stem the losses, Mote Marine Laboratory created the Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate and Grants Program. The Grants Program uses the dollars raised from plate sales for:
- Scientific research to uncover the reasons for coral declines
- The development of new methods to restore coral reefs
- Education and outreach programs to help the public understand the threats that reefs face and how they can help
Organizations may apply for grant funds to support their Florida-based coral research. The Protect Our Reefs Grants Program has provided more than $4 million in funding support for more than 100 projects, including studies published in top peer-reviewed journals like Science and Nature.
2024 Protect our Reefs Grant Program Information
How You're Helping
The Protect Our Reefs program has worked tirelessly to understand the reasons for declining coral populations while discovering new ways to restore corals to areas where losses have occurred.
If you’re a Florida driver, you can help make coral reef restoration and conservation happen by purchasing a Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate for your car, truck, or boat trailer. Drive the plate that helps fund the restoration of our coral reefs and you’ll be helping preserve Florida’s unique underwater beauty while securing the future for our oceans!
For each Protect Our Reefs license plate sold, Mote’s Protect Our Reefs program receives a direct $25 annual donation. This donation funding goes straight to the restoration and research of our coral reefs so the more plates that are sold, the faster we can restore our coral reefs.
If you don’t live in the state of Florida and want to support coral research and restoration, click the GIVE NOW button at the top of the page to donate!
See more from Dr. Dave Vaughn in this Documentary by The Atlantic, A Coral Reef Revival http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/423696/a-coral-reef-revival
Why Corals Need Us
Florida has the only barrier coral reef system in the continental U.S. It's like having the Grand Canyon underwater—a natural treasure that took millions of years to create and deserves our protection. Since the 1970’s, there has been an estimated decrease of 90% of our indigenous coral coverage in some areas of Florida, including some species that have experienced a decline of more than 97%.
5 Reasons We Need Corals
Florida’s World Class Fishing Grounds Come From Corals Coral reefs are a primary reason why Florida is the Fishing Capital of the U.S — they provide structure, habitat, bait, and hunting and breeding grounds for many of Florida’s saltwater food and game fish.
Corals Protect the Coast Florida’s reef — the only barrier reef system in the continental U.S. — acts as a natural barrier and protects our coastlines from major storms.
Coral Reefs Attract Tourists Florida’s coral reefs attract millions of visitors and contribute about $6.3 billion to Florida’s economy.
Coral Reefs Provide Jobs Florida’s coral reefs support thousands of jobs in areas such as: Tourism & ECO Tours; Recreational & Charter Fishing; Commercial Seafood; Diving, Watersports, and Boating; Science & Research.
Corals Could Contribute to Medical Advances Chemicals in corals and other reef animals could provide cures for life-threatening diseases.
If your birthday is not within the next 60 days, you can sign up for a reef plate reminder. We will remind you when it’s your birthday month and license plate renewal time so you can purchase a Protect Our Reefs license plate. However, you are able to switch your plate at any time! When you receive your plate, you will receive the a new sticker for your last registration.
FAQs
How do I switch to a “Protect Our Reefs” license plate from a standard Florida plate?
If it’s currently within 2 months of your birthday month, visit your local Tax Collector’s office to renew your registration and switch to the Protect Our Reefs license plate all in one transaction.
In person at your local county tax collector or tag office:
You can also visit your local Tax Collector’s office to switch at any time to the Protect Our Reefs license plate.
This process is the same if you already own a different Florida specialty license plate and want to switch to a Protect Our Reefs plate.
Information for first time plate purchasers for new drivers and or new vehicle registrations (Must be done in person or at the dealership)
Please ask your vehicle dealer for a “Protect Our Reef’s” license plate, or go to your local Tax Collector’s office and request a new “Protect our Reefs” license plate for your vehicle.
By purchasing a “Protect Our Reefs” specialty license plate, what am I supporting and who gets the money?
When you purchase a “Protect Our Reefs” license plate, you are supporting Mote Marine Laboratory and the “Protect Our Reefs” coral restoration and research program. Each plate purchased generates a tax deductible $25.00 donation to Mote. 100% of the $25.00 annual donation goes to the coral reef research and restoration program. Mote is an independent non-profit marine research organization based in Sarasota with facilities in Charlotte Harbor, Boca Grande, and the Florida Keys.