Key West is home to tracts of exotic Florida coral and Florida reefs and Snuba Key West can help you experience this magical underwater world. They offer daily charters and boat trips and they can teach you how to snorkel, snuba and scuba.
Florida reefs and Florida coral is the only active coral barrier reef in North America. Florida reefs extend from Miami to Key West. The Florida barrier reef is considered by many to be the third largest in the world. The biggest is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The second largest is known as the Meso- American reef off Bezile.
The Florida Reefs and coral provide many benefits. They are home to a wide variety of sea life including parrotfish, angelfish, stingrays, turtles, spiny lobster, stone crab and many more.
The Florida Keys reefs and corals attract millions of tourists, snorkelers and divers. Commercial fishing of spiny lobster and stone crab is also big business. Boat based tourism and commercial fishery generates millions of dollars for the Florida economy. Apart from direct economic benefits, the reefs provide protection for Florida’s coastline. They also act as a buffer that lessens the impact of ocean waves.
The problem is that the Florida coral and the Florida reefs are under threat. The sheer volume of visitors and activities in these areas affect the reef and coral systems. In addition, climate change and warmer waters also threaten the survival of the coral and reefs.
However there are programs and systems in place to help protect and regenerate Florida coral and reefs. These programs involve government agencies, educational institutions. Scientific institutions as well private enterprise. With the right conservation and management systems in place people can continue to enjoy the beauty and splendor if the Florida Corals and Florida Reefs.