Florida Aquarium Set To Add 5,000 New Corals To Help Fix Damaged Reefs

In a bold move to restore Florida's coastal waters, the state aquarium will grow 5,000 baby corals over two years. State environmental officials backed the project with vital funding.

"These new corals represent a lifeline for Florida's reef," said Keri O'Neil, director of the Coral Conservation Program for The Florida Aquarium, per WTSP.com. "We're thankful to the Florida DEP for making this work possible. Their support is helping us not only spawn more corals — we're building hope for the reef and for future generations."

Scientists picked symmetrical and boulder brain coral types for the project. These hardy species survived a deadly disease that struck local reefs. The lab aims to produce vast numbers of coral babies through careful breeding.

Heat struck the waters hard in 2023. Tests showed just 22% of rare staghorn coral lived through the warm spell. The toll hit elkhorn coral worse: nine out of ten died in the hot waters, based on Climate.gov data.

Yet young brain corals planted by the team showed surprising strength. "We still don't know exactly why that is," O'Neil said to ABC News. "It could be because they are young and maybe just stronger, or because they weren't in the ocean as long as other corals."

Inside special tanks, staff tend to 100 adult corals. These tanks copy ocean patterns to spark breeding. Once born, tiny coral babies stick to tiles or rocks before moving to their ocean homes.

Dr. Debborah Luke runs conservation work at the aquarium. She points out wider benefits: "By sharing our methods, data, and coral offspring with partners, we're creating a ripple effect that will help strengthen reef restoration around the world."

The work joins forces with groups in key marine areas: the Florida Keys sanctuary and Kristin Jacobs preserve. New funds will also build a teaching lab at the Coral Center to train future scientists.

These reefs shield shores from storms and give sea life shelter. They boost state income through fishing and tourism. Last May marked a win: teams moved over 1,000 young corals to new homes in the Keys' waters.