PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT SITE, AND THE CONTENT DOES NOT REFLECT THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION.
Coral reefs are vibrant, productive ecosystems that face a variety of threats, including disease, temperature stress and pollution. In order to effectively manage coral reef resources, adequate data are required to assess status and track change in these systems. The state of Florida has over 100 linear miles of coral reefs north of Miami that, … Read more
The demand for marine sand resources is increasing in the United States, as coastal and offshore sands are commonly used for beach renourishment and barrier island restoration. The dredging of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and sand shoals in particular, is likely to increase in the near future because nearshore sand resources are being depleted … Read more
The absence of accurate, contemporary, or detailed bathymetric data in nearshore coastal waters impedes coastal research, conservation, disaster response, planning, and management efforts. The use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and low cost RGB (red, blue, green) cameras, coupled with advanced photogrammetry methods, structure from motion (SfM), provides a portable, efficient, rapid-response, and cost-effective … Read more
The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act) was signed into law on July 6, 2012. The RESTORE Act calls for a regional approach to restoring the long-term health of the valuable natural ecosystem and economy of the Gulf Coast region. The RESTORE Act dedicates … Read more
Thirteen marine sediment samples were collected as part of an effort to characterize and assess chemical contamination in the Nu’uuli Pala Lagoon on the island of Tutuila, American Samoa. Overall, concentrations of organic contaminants in sediment from the Nu’uuli Pala Lagoon are low as compared to other studies conducted by NOAA’s National Status and Trends … Read more
National Status and Trends (NS&T) Mussel Watch Program provides status of and temporal trends of coastal contaminant conditions. Bivalve tissues are analyzed for a suite of about 500 legacy and emerging chemicals of concern. In addition, bivalve tissues are assessed for histopathology and gonadal index. The Program’s data, metadata and information products are managed within … Read more
The goal of this project, funded by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program and requested by local partners, was to monitor water quality in three rivers that drain to the Achang Reef Flat Marine Preserve at the southern tip of Guam, in order to provide a baseline of conditions for environmental managers. The spatial and temporal … Read more
National Status and Trends (NS&T) Mussel Watch Program provides status of and temporal trends of coastal contaminant conditions. Bivalve tissues are analyzed for a suite of about 600 legacy and emerging chemicals of concern. In addition, bivalve tissues are assessed for histopathology and gonadal index. The Program’s data, metadata and information products are managed within … Read more
Water quality problems, including sedimentation and over enrichment of nutrients, have the potential to adversely impact coral reef ecosystems. Phosphorus and reactive nitrogen can enter the environment from chemical fertilizers (residential, commercial and agricultural uses), industrial sources, animal waste, and human waste. Excess nutrient loads can impact coral both directly (e.g. lowered fertilization rates) and … Read more
Environmental windows or moratoria are used by federal and state regulators in resource management to temporarily reduce adverse environmental impacts associated with coastal development. Moratoria are seasonal restrictions on construction activities to protect migrations of fish, sensitive life stages of aquatic organisms, and threatened and endangered species. Broad categories of coastal development activities that may … Read more