U.S. Coral Reef Task Force

A close up of the ridges of a tan brain coral. A tiny black and white fish lays between two ridges.

Florida

Map of Florida

Florida is a U.S. state bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. It includes the mainland and the Florida Keys, which are a string of islands off the southern coast. Florida has a combined landmass area of 65.757 mi² (170,311 km²). [1]

Florida’s Coral Reef stretches over 350 miles from the St. Lucie Inlet in the north to the Dry Tortugas in the south, and is the only near-shore, stony coral reef track in the continental United States. Florida’s reefs primarily consist of barrier reefs, although fringing reefs and atolls can also be found. [2]

Florida’s reefs are home to:

40+ reef-building coral species

600+ fish species

600+ invertebrate species

[3]

Vibrant reef scene showing pillar and branching corals in the foreground
Close up photo of numerous coral polyps taken under magnification

Healthy and resilient coral reefs are vital to both the ecosystem and to the economy. Florida’s Coral Reef contributes $6.1 billion to the tourism industry, along with 71,000 jobs in South Florida through recreation, education, and research. [4]

Reef Threats

Due to the size of Florida’s Coral Reef, it is split into several managed areas including both state and federal waters. These managed areas include:

Coral Disease icon
Coral bleaching icon
Water quality icon

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Coral Bleaching

Water Quality

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  • Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) is a fast-moving coral disease first detected in Florida in 2014. Since then, it has spread to several other countries and U.S. territories throughout the Caribbean. [6]
  • Over 96,000 acres of Florida’s reefs, which amounts to over half of the total reef area, have been affected by SCTLD. Of Florida’s 45 species of reef-building corals, 20+ species have been affected. [6]
  • There are over 100 research projects in Florida aimed at stopping the spread of coral disease, including projects to survey and monitor the disease spread, experiment with disease interventions, and research to identify pathogens potentially responsible for the disease. [6]
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  • Florida’s reefs experienced a record-breaking heatwave in the summer of 2023 during an El Niño event that led to widespread coral bleaching and mortality. This bleaching event was particularly harmful to Florida’s elkhorn corals, with only 37 or 160 genotypes surviving the bleaching: a 77% loss of genetic diversity. Thankfully, many of these genotypes and others were rescued from the wild and currently live in land-based coral nurseries and genebanks. [7]
  • Reef managers and practitioners compiled lessons learned from the 2023 bleaching event and have since implemented new methods for thermal stress interventions. [8]
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  • Because Florida’s reefs are so close to densely populated shorelines, they are subject to land-based pollution through stormwater runoff and partially treated wastewater outfalls. [9] These and other sources of pollution often flow downstream and result in poor water quality on the reef. More research is needed to understand the underlying issues behind these water quality issues, and advanced technology is needed to better detect harmful chemicals in Florida’s reef ecosystems.  
  • In response to this threat, the Florida Coral Reef Resilience Program developed a Water Quality team in 2024. This group focuses on identifying water quality priorities, improving understanding of the connection between Everglades water quality and downstream reef health, and developing recommendations for water quality improvement. [10]

Reef Protections

Map of Florida where areas of coral reef and hardbottom are shown in yellow and various management agency boundaries are highlighted in different colors
Photo taken from the water showing the ocean with shallow coral reefs visible below the surface

Coral reefs also safeguard against extreme weather, shoreline erosion, and coastal flooding. Florida’s Coral Reef provides more than $355 million/year in flood protection benefits to buildings and protects nearly $320 million in annual economic activity. [5]

Florida’s Investment in Reefs

In 2023, Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 23-06, establishing Florida’s Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery (FCR3) Initiative to improve resilience, ecosystem restoration, and water quality. Led by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the initiative is focused on developing the infrastructure, technology, and workforce needed to support long-term reef recovery. 

Funding related to the FCR3 Initiative will help increase coral propagation infrastructure and capacity across Florida’s Coral Reef to support restoring hardy populations of native corals and other keystone species. The FCR3 Initiative will also prioritize the design and location of restoration efforts with a goal of significantly enhancing flood protection and strengthening southeast Florida’s coastal economies.

Underwater coral reef scene that includes Acropora-cervicornis and Staghorn-Corals.

Bright Spots and On-Going Initiatives

Two divers performing restoration work on a coral reef

NOAA is leading the Mission: Iconic Reefs Program within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Started in 2020, this restoration project aims to restore coral cover at priority reef sites to boost biodiversity and ecosystem function along the reef. Multiple agencies and organizations have partnered to support the Mission: Iconic Reefs program in Florida.

Various corals in green, blue and red trays that were rescued and transported to land based facilities as part of a larger coral restoration effort.

The Florida Coral Rescue Team, formed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA, has rescued approximately 2,500 corals of 20 species from 200 reef sites since late 2018. These corals are housed in 25 land-based facilities across 14 states, involving 29 partners, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The effort aims to preserve genetic diversity, support captive breeding, and contribute to Florida’s Coral Reef restoration.

Diver performing a benthic transect survey

There are several long-running coral reef monitoring programs in Florida, including the Southeast Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (SECREMP), Disturbance Response Monitoring (DRM), the Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP), and the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP).

Southeast Florida Action Network (SEAFAN) logo

The Southeast Florida Action Network (SEAFAN) is a citizen science program where citizen scientists of all kinds can identify and report threats to Florida’s southeastern reefs. Participants also assist with beach cleanups and respond to vessel groundings and anchor damage.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Logo

The Coral Reef Conservation Program with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state agency tasked with managing Florida’s coral reefs. They collaborate with various other agencies and organizations to carry out this important work.

Check out their website to learn more about their work!

Connect with Florida DEP on social media @fl.dep

Smooth Trunkfish with diver in the background. Fish has a black and white mottled coloring.
Acropora palmata Elkhorn Coral
Diver performing water quality monitoring on a coral reef
Underwater coral reef scene
Nurse shark swimming on a coral reef

Other resources to explore

Sources cited