SEAKEYS Monitoring Program

SEAKEYS Progress Report

2010

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"SEAKEYS is a long-term meteorological and oceanographic monitoring program in the Florida Keys, providing data for researchers and managers at NOAAs Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Hourly data is available from automated environmental observing stations in the Keys, and is provided via the internet in cooperation with data managers at NOAAs Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and NOAAs National Data Buoy Center. These data have been invaluable in assessing impacts from algal blooms in Florida Bay and along the West Florida Shelf, hurricane impacts (direct and indirect), and the prediction of coral bleaching events in the Keys. These data also fulfill a valuable public service for boaters, harbor pilots, dive operators, and emergency managers. This project is an on-going program for environmental monitoring in the FKNMS and continues the operation, maintenance, and enhancement of the SEAKEYS stations. The sensors on these stations require regular cleaning, ground-truthing, sensor calibration, and data transmission instrument upgrades and repairs. Additionally, the stations are test-beds for new instrumentation to assess the impact of UV radiation, CO2 monitoring levels in the water related to ocean acidification, and underwater cameras to monitor fish movements. Throughout the year SEAKEYS personnel continued to work with NOAA NDBC and the USCG to have repairs made to several of the stations that have suffered structural damage dating back to the 2005 hurricane season. This included a two day visit to Stennis Space Center, home of NDBC and several trips to CG Sector Key West to meet in person with staff."

CRCP Project ID 20502; Project Title: Meteorological and Oceanographic Monitoring for FKNMS Management by the SEAKEYS Program; Principal Investigator: Scott Donahue