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>>Narrator: Coral Reefs are alive! They contain millions of tiny animals that form a spectacular
and complex community. Reefs provide nurseries and a safe haven for hundreds of fish and
other marine life. They are valuable natural resources that protect our coasts by reducing
wave energy from storms and hurricanes. Coral reefs in Florida are usually associated with
the Florida Keys. However, extensive and beautiful coral reefs are also found off Dade, Broward,
Palm Beach and Martin counties, north of the Keys. These reefs are so diverse in marine
life that they have been compared to tropical rainforests. This ecosystem is part of the
third largest barrier reef in the world, stretching 330 miles from the Dry Tortugas to St. Lucie
Inlet. Fishing, diving and boating on Florida's coral reefs provide a tremendous source of
income for Florida and its coastal communities. A study of natural and artificial reef usage
in southeastern Florida showed that each year, reef-related expenditures contribute $6.6
billion in income and sales and support over 61,000 jobs in the region. In southeast Florida
these coral reefs lie just a few hundred yards off the beaches of our highly urbanized coastal
communities. Roughly one third of Florida's 18 million residents live within this region,
which attracted 25 million visitors in 2003. The proximity of such a highly urbanized area
can sometimes be detrimental to our beautiful coral reefs, which are very delicate and vulnerable
to poor water quality, coastal development, ship groundings, hurricanes and climate change.
Corals need clean, clear water with low levels of nutrients to survive and grow. The Southeast
Florida Coral Reef Initiative's Local Action Strategy is a roadmap for collaborative and
cooperative action among federal, state, local and non-governmental partners. The local action
strategy identifies key threats to the coral reef resources of southeast Florida and priority
actions needed to reduce those threats. Southeast Florida's reefs are exhibiting the same signs
of degradation as reefs in other parts of the world, but prior to SEFCRI, no coordinated
public education or resource management plans had been proposed for this area. The coral
reefs of southeast Florida need all the help they can get. As neighbors and visitors, we
have a responsibility to protect our coral reefs. Find out what you can do now by visiting
www.southeastfloridareefs.net.