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Florida
Keys National Marine Sanctuary
SSE Accomplishments
Report
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Sherwood
Forest, located in the Tortugas Banks, is
a unique reef that was explored and
characterized during the Sustainable Seas
Expeditions in the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary. (photo credit: John
Halas)
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The 1999 Sustainable Seas Expeditions in the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary provided
scientists and resource managers with an
opportunity to explore relatively unknown marine
environments near the Dry Tortugas region where a
proposed no-take reserve may be established. Over a
several day period, DeepWorker pilots conducted 19
dives with the deepest at 165 feet. Investigators
explored an area known as Sherwood Forest, an
atypical formation of unique corals. Furthermore,
along the reef tract, pilots were able to run deep
water transects, adding a new dimension to
information collected in shallower areas of the
reefs.
Exploration
and characterization of the proposed Tortugas
Ecological Reserve
Establishing
the sanctuary's second no-take ecological reserve
in the Tortugas region is a high priority for NOAA.
As both a source and a sink for marine
biodiversity, the region plays a critical role in
sustaining the health of the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary. The boundaries for the reserve
are under development and the reserve is scheduled
to be initiated in 2000.
This
study was designed to explore new deepwater areas
in the Tortugas and provide critical baseline
information on benthic habitats and fish
populations. These objectives were accomplished
through 10 dives completed by Sustainable Seas
Expeditions investigators Walt Jaap, Pamela Hallock
Muller , Erich Mueller, and Laddie Akins as well as
Sylvia Earle. The results of this study will help
characterize the proposed ecological reserve.
Gulf
of Mexico influence on coral reef health
Dr. Erich
Mueller of Mote Marine Lab collected salinity,
temperature and depth data and video transects of
coral habitat which will lay the foundation for a
long-term study on the effects of water quality on
coral reef resources. Tortugas is the ideal place
to conduct this study because of the lack of
coastal runoff effects.
Deep
water coral reef health
Dr.
Phillip Dustan of the University of Charleston has
been monitoring shallow coral reefs in the Upper
Keys since 1979. Sustainable Seas Expeditions
enabled him to extend these investigations to deep
water to measure the vitality of corals. Shallow
water corals have been on the decline for many
years but little is known about the status of
deepwater corals. Seven dives were conducted at
Carysfort, Conch, and Molasses reefs to investigate
coral health and fish populations. Laddie Akins of
Reef Environmental Education Foundation surveyed
fish populations.
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