More than 1,500 coral colonies and fragments rescued from a sea wall reconstruction project will be used for restoration and conservation work in the Florida Keys and education programs on the mainland.
The corals were removed from a section of the Navy's Mole Pier in the Key West Harbor, which is about to undergo repairs that would have destroyed the marine life. Naval Air Station Key West partnered with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to ensure that repairs to a crumbling wall would cause minimal damage to corals, which fall under the protection of the sanctuary.
Sanctuary resource managers trained and worked with Navy staff and contractors on the coral removal and handling. They cleared a 425-foot-long stretch of sea wall of the largest corals, some of which spanned more than 2 feet wide, officials said.
The corals, representing 19 different species, were placed in the sanctuary's nearby coral nursery and partner nurseries, where they will be cared for until they are needed for research projects or coral restoration on vessel grounding sites, among other things.
"We are very involved with preserving the marine life that is the beauty and backbone of the Florida Keys," Navy base commander Capt. Patrick Lefere said. "This kind of collaboration is just a real good situation for all agencies involved. It reduces the impact to the coral while allowing us to repair our pier and demonstrate our desire to continue partnering with the marine sanctuary, not just for coral issues, but other environmental issues as well."
Some of the smaller corals will be removed and given to zoos, aquariums and conservation organizations for research and educational purposes. Corals smaller than 6 inches in diameter will go to the University of Miami, Florida International University, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.
Before nearshore construction occurs in the Florida Keys, the sanctuary reviews projects and determines if any sanctuary resources, such as coral, will be harmed through construction.
The sanctuary works closely with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that required permits are issued for projects while resources are protected, sanctuary officials said.
"We applaud the efforts of the Navy to limit impacts to the healthy corals which thrived on its sea wall," said Lauri MacLaughlin, a sanctuary resource manager. "Through our permitting process we were able to ensure that construction could continue, and that these valuable resources could be given a second life in research, restoration and education projects in the Keys, and across the country."