How Funds Help

Ask Dr. Dave!

Dr. David Vaughan answers questions from the public at the grand opening of Mote's Living Reef exhibit at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center in the Dr. Nancy Foster Florida Keys Environmental Complex
33 East Quay Road, Key West, FL 33040. Click here to learn more about the center.

Florida has the only barrier reef in the continental U.S. It provides critical habitat for hundreds of species. Disease and destruction have taken their toll on reefs worldwide: nearly a third world's coral reefs have been destroyed. If current trends persist another two-thirds of those remaining will be lost within the next 30 years.

Funds raised by Mote are helping us understand:

How to stop the decline
How reef immune systems work and how corals keep themselves healthy
New ways to help make reefs healthy again

At Summerland Key, Mote has established a coral reef genetic bank to help repopulate dead and depleted corals. Researchers are also using microbiology to study reef diseases and have made promising gains in understanding corals' immune systems. Mote is also leading the way to monitor Florida's coral reef for changes, including coral bleaching and diseases.

Funds raised from the sale of the Protect Our Reefs license plate is used to support this important research and to provide grants to other nonprofit organizations in Florida to perform additional reef research, outreach and conservation.

The more plates sold, the more grant dollars available, the more answers reef-loving organizations like Mote can find!

Ask Dr. Dave!

The Director of Mote's Center for Coral Reef Research is Dr. David E. Vaughan. He's the person standing in for Neptune in picture above, so you know he takes coral reef research seriously! When Dr. Dave finally dried off, we asked him a few questions about Mote's coral research programs.

Q: What research programs are part of the Center for Coral Reef Research?
A: We've got three major programs: Reef Restoration, Marine Microbiology and Reef Science and Monitoring.

Q: How long have you been working at Mote?
A: I've been at Mote permanently since 2005, but prior to that I worked as an adjunct scientist.

Q: Why are reefs important?
A: Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the earth's surface but are home to more than 25 percent of all known marine species. As much as one third of all sea creatures either live or spend much of their lives on reefs.

Q: I'm not a diver. Why should I care about coral reefs?
A: Coral reefs do more for our ocean environment than just act as a pretty backdrop for divers. They provide important places for many marine animals to live, to eat and even to breed. If you're an angler, you should know that many of the species fish for would not be able to exist without coral reefs. Even though I don't live anywhere near the Grand Canyon and can't visit it often, I still feel better knowing that places like it are protected and exist in the world.

Q: So how can I help?
A: If you're a Florida resident, you can click the link below to purchase the Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate for your vehicle or your trailer. A portion of the cost is tax deductible and the funds raised through the sale of the plate directly support coral research, conservation and education. If you're not a Florida resident and still want to help, you can make a tax-deductible donation directly to coral reef research by clicking on the "Support" button below.

Do you have a question for Dr. Dave about coral reefs? E-mail info@mote.org and type "Dr. Dave" in the subject line. In the meantime, click the FAQ link below.

>Frequently Asked Questions

>Purchase your Protect Our Reefs License Plate now

Are you just urchin to help?
Hard corals, soft corals and the vital marine communities they support could use our help. And we could use yours. Now. So dive deep and don't hold back! Please click to donate today.

About Us

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.

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