Federal Resilience Programs: Mission “Iconic Reefs” | Article

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems that cover less than one percent of the ocean’s floor but support over 25 percent of the ocean’s fish and provide half a billion people worldwide with food, income, and protection. In Florida—which has the only coral reef system in the continental United States—coral reefs are valued at $8.5 billion and support over 70,000 full- and part-time jobs, including in commercial fishing and tourism.

However, coral reef ecosystems in Florida are threatened by development, climate change, overfishing, and disease—the leading causes of reef loss in Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2020 coral reef status report found that 69 percent of coral reefs in the state were impaired due to human activities. Losing Florida’s coral reefs would have vast ecological, economic, and social consequences.

Federal programs, such as Mission: Iconic Reefs, can help make communities more resilient to climate change impacts and other environmental threats.

What is Mission: Iconic Reefs?

Mission : Iconic Reefs, unveiled in December 2019, is a collaboration between NOAA, local restoration partners, and other federal and state agencies that aims “to restore seven ecologically and culturally significant coral reefs within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary,” including the Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Newfound Harbor, Eastern Dry Rocks, Sombrero Reef, and Looe Key Reef. The project is intended to complement ongoing restoration efforts and is not a new regulatory action.

How does Mission: Iconic Reefs relate to climate adaptation and resilience?

Coral reefs buffer shorelines from waves, storms, erosion and flooding. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found that coral reefs can reduce wave energy by 97 percent, helping protect coastal communities and ecosystems. However, degraded coral ecosystems do not offer these same protections, and coral reef populations in Florida have been declining for decades, with populations in some areas now too low to reproduce.

By working to restore reefs off the Florida coast, Mission: Iconic Reefs is bolstering the coastal climate resilience benefits of coral reefs, while also building resilience to climate stressors—such as increased water temperature—within the reefs themselves. Additionally, the project focuses on improving the plant and animal biodiversity necessary for maintaining healthy coral ecosystems and reducing non-climate stressors like invasive species.

How does Mission: Iconic Reefs work?

Mission: Iconic Reefs is in the beginning stage. The project has two planned phases spanning the next 20 years: phase one aims to restore coral cover to 15 percent in the targeted reefs, and phase two plans to restore coral cover to 25 percent. Coral cover is the proportion of an area occupied by corals; a greater percentage of coral cover generally results in healthier ecosystems and higher biodiversity. In 2019, coral cover in the targeted reefs was only about 2 percent, whereas healthy coral reefs have between 25 and 40 percent coral cover. To increase coral cover in Florida, Mission: Iconic Reefs will restore a diversity of stony corals, reintroduce algae-grazing species (algae competes with coral for space), and engage community stakeholders in the continued monitoring and maintenance of the reefs.

Mission: Iconic Reefs in Action

In 2021, NOAA kicked off the first large-scale effort of Mission: Iconic Reefs with a three-year-long project to transplant 60,000 nursery-raised corals to the Eastern Dry Rocks coral reef area, which is seven miles southeast of Key West, Florida. Elkhorn and staghorn corals were chosen for the nine-acre project because they have shown high growth and survival rates. The project was made possible through a $5 million grant provided by NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the National Coastal Resilience Fund.

What does Mission: Iconic Reefs aim to accomplish?

The project aims to restore three million square feet of coral reef in Florida. Coral cover in Florida has decreased from historical levels of 30-40 percent coverage to its current day coverage of two percent, with 25 percent coverage considered to be the proper amount for healthy ecosystems. Mission: Iconic Reefs is also supporting the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Restoration Blueprint, another NOAA program that aims to restore and protect coral reefs.

What is the current state of Mission: Iconic Reefs?

In Fiscal Year 2021, up to $7.5 million was provided for coral reef restoration, including reef restoration, through Mission: Iconic Reefs. According to NOAA, additional private and public funds will need to come together in the coming years to carry out the program.

Author: Savannah Bertrand