"‘Iconic’ Florida Keys Primed For $100 Million Restoration"

"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants to restore seven reefs along the Keys reef tract from Key Largo to Key West."

"For decades, most of the news about coral reefs has been pretty gloomy. Now the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is launching a new mission to bring back a few of those reefs.

Reefs along the Keys once commonly had coral cover of 30 to 40 percent of its surfaces. Those healthy reefs protected the Keys from storms, nurtured fish and lobsters and helped create a thriving tourism industry that relies heavily on diving, snorkeling and fishing.

Now the coral cover is more like 2 percent on a lot of the reefs that still draw tourists."

Nancy Klingener reports for the Tampa Bay Times December 16, 2019.