FAQs

Coral reefs are intricate underwater ecosystems that are composed of a variety of organisms crucial to the health of the ocean. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.

Human activity is the main cause of coral reef destruction. Besides our climate change, our general existence, and all the infrastructure that is required of our modernized lives, it’s actually what humans do in their day to day lives that affect coral reefs the most. This includes but is not limited to using chemicals on our skin before enjoying the ocean and natural waterways. Using fertilizer on our lawns that produces runoff after rain that leads to the oceans, the excess of nutrients, usually nitrogen, promotes algal blooms and unfavorable conditions for microorganisms. Plastics and microplastics are a main pollutant that are causing animals, marine and land based, to die out in aggressive numbers. Physical destruction to the reefs including improper anchoring practices, vessel groundings, and improper use of mooring balls, to name a few. However, just as humans have contributed to the destruction of reefs, we can also contribute to their recovery.

Coral reefs extend over 350 nautical miles from the western most point of Dry Tortugas to the most northeastern point, the St. Lucie inlet in Martin County. The portion Friends of Our Florida Reefs aims to protect is the 100+ miles of northernmost reefs starting at the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park to St. Lucie inlet in Martin County, also known as the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area. Most of the coral reefs can be accessed by shore, lying between 1/4 - 2 miles offshore.

Check out our Participate Page, where you can find ways to get involved, how to start tweaking your everyday behaviors, and how to become a FOFR member!