The Florida Reef and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Over Spring Break, I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Florida Keys and go snorkeling in the only living coral reef system in the continental United States. This reef system is adjacent to the island chain of the Florida Keys, and is a part of a marine ecosystem that supports a high level of biodiversity, equivalent to that of rain forests: the 2,800 square mile Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Because the area is an attractive because of its beauty and its abundance of species, it plays a huge role in the tourism industry for the Florida Keys, as well as the commercial fishing industry. However, overuse, overharvesting, physical impact, and pollution harm the plants and animals that make up this marine ecosystem, and the sanctuary was created to prevent further biological and environmental degradation of the area.

The part of the reef that we visited was known as "The Stake" (you can see why in the picture to the left). The light parts are where there was sand, while the darker areas of the ocean are where the coral reef formations were. I saw so many different types of fish, some that I recognized and some that I didn't. I saw a sea turtle, and got a picture of it, and I also saw an eel (though I didn't get a picture of it). The colors of the coral were incredible as well - it's hard to tell in the pictures, but everything was purple, bright green, and orange; it was gorgeous.














It was a great experience, and I'm glad I can share it with you all. It really reinforced some of the ideas we talked about in class, particularly biophilia - I loved being in the ocean, in the coral reef, and definitely felt at home; honestly, I didn't want to come home!
- Meghan Coats