Authors:
Brian D. Keller, Ph.D. and Scott Donahue Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
In this 2002-03 Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Science Report we include updates on the three long-term, status-and-trends monitoring projects of the Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) and on the projects that comprise the Marine Zone Monitoring Program. These two monitoring programs are inextricably related; population and community changes that result from the Sanctuary’s network of fully protected marine zones occur in the context of large-scale environmental characteristics measured by the water quality, seagrass, and coral reef evaluation and monitoring projects of the WQPP.
This year we have added a set of summary reports on socioeconomic research projects, and continue to present findings of partnership projects with NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. After presenting reports on two long-spined urchin (Diadema antillarum) restoration projects, we conclude with lists of permitted research projects for the years 2002 and 2003.