A Treasure Worth Protecting
Beauty, Bucks & Bounty
Beauty.
Florida has the only barrier coral reef system in the continental U.S. It’s like having the Grand Canyon underwater – a natural treasure that took millions of years to create and deserves our protection. Sadly, worldwide corals are in decline. But research can help us understand why and what to do about it. Education and conservation efforts can help reduce human impact on these precious resources. And if you are a Florida driver, you can help make research, education and conservation happen. Drive the plate that helps fund research, education and conservation and you’ll be helping preserve Florida’s unique underwater beauty.
Bucks.
Florida’s coral reefs attract and support more than $1.2 billion dollars a year from tourists and locals. The reefs are an economic engine for Florida’s economy, supporting tourism, recreation and commercial fisheries and even protecting our shorelines by mitigating the effects of coastal erosion and storms.
The short version? Protect Florida reefs and you help protect Florida’s economy.
Bounty.
Florida’s coral reefs are critical for the fish we love to see and eat. Coral reefs -- like tropical rain forests -- provide important habitat for hundreds of species, some we may not even have discovered yet. And like rain forests, coral reefs have the potential to provide new cures for helping AIDS, Alzheimers, cancer and other diseases. But as we lose reefs, we lose the opportunity to discover new drugs and processes that could help people.
What can you do? Help protect the sea’s productivity and help preserve its potential to help us with human health issues by driving the plate that funds coral reef research, education and conservation.
Dive into the subject.
Use these links to get you started:
www.reef.org
www.seacamp.org
www.perryinstitute.org
www.floridaoceanographic.org
www.rsmas.miami.edu
www.nova.edu/ncri
Mote links:
SeaTrek
Tropical Research Laboratory
Mote Library
Center for Fisheries Enhancement
Center for Aquaculture Research and Development
How Can You Help?
Purchase a "Protect Our Reefs" license plate to help fund coral reef research, education and conservation.
Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Today, we incorporate public outreach as a key part of our mission. Mote is an independent nonprofit organization and has seven centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.
