Corals raised at The Florida Aquarium relocated to offshore Keys reef

The Florida Aquarium has relocated 560 corals at an offshore reef site near Long Key. The corals were bred and raised at the Florida Aquarium’s Center for Conservation.

The goals of this out-plant are to support coral restoration efforts in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and determine whether coral grown in a land-based lab setting will be beneficial or harmful to their survival and growth.

The team of coral biologists will continue to review data over the next few years to determine the best methods to incorporate juvenile brain corals into larger restoration efforts such as Mission Iconic Reefs.

– Peter Schorsch, The Tampa Bay 100