In 2000, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force adopted a National Action Plan to conserve coral reefs. With guidance from the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coordinated the formation of a team of interagency and non-agency marine resource professionals, scientists, resource users and other stakeholders.
The Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) Team first gathered in May 2003 to develop local action strategies targeting coral reefs and associated reef resources from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties to improve the coordination of technical and financial support for the conservation and management of coral reefs. SEFCRI is targeting this region because the coral habitats are close to shore and co-exist with intensely urbanized areas that lack a coordinated management plan (like that of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary).
The SEFCRI Team is composed of five focus areas:
The SEFCRI focus areas have identified issues and threats to coral reefs and have developed and are implementing local action strategies for their component of SEFCRI. This includes defining and revising goals, objectives and actions, priority setting, budget development, building implementation teams and tracking progress. Numerous stakeholders participated in the development of Florida's local action strategies, using a facilitated process including public review and input. The outcome is a coordinated plan to address causes of coral reef degradation and provide a roadmap for successful conservation and management.
The SEFCRI Technical Advisory Committee continues to provide technical and scientific expertise to all focus area teams. The Technical Advisory Committee is comprised of leading research scientists in the fields of coral reef ecology, water quality, oceanography, geology, fisheries, socioeconomics, resource management, chemistry and biology.
More detailed information about SEFCRI and its programs can be found at SoutheastFloridaReefs.net.
See all of SEFCRI's public service announcements.
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