Benthic Habitat Mapping of Florida Coral Reef Ecosystems

Southern Florida's coral ecosystems are extensive. They extend from the Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys as far north as St Lucie Inlet on the Atlantic Ocean coast and Tarpon Springs on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Working with state, local, university, and other federal partners, NOAA is initiating an effort to map and characterize the coral ecosystems of southern Florida. The Southern Florida Shallow-water Coral Ecosystem Mapping Implementation Plan (MIP) that was recently finalized discusses the need to produce shallow-water (about 0-40 m; 0-22 fm) benthic habitat and bathymetric maps of critical areas in southern Florida and moderate-depth (about 40-200 m; 22-109 fm) bathymetric maps for all of Florida. The approximately 0-40 m depth regime generally represents where most hermatypic coral species are found and where most direct impacts from pollution and coastal development occur. The plan was developed with extensive input from over 90 representatives of state regulatory and management agencies, federal agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations involved in the conservation and management of Florida's coral ecosystems.

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