coral reef

At a much deeper vantage, USGS researchers are monitoring what’s happening on the seafloor to better understand risks from tectonic activity that could impact public safety.    In earthquake-prone regions, like the west coast of the…

Color maps showing output examples of the Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) model and how 1 of the 999 wave conditions was dynamically downscaled to the 200-meter (m) grid scale offshore West Maui, Hawaiʻi. A, The 5-kilometer (km)…

This move aims to encourage the use of federal funding towards coral reef conservation and restoration, with a particular focus on hazard mitigation and disaster-recovery resources. Healthy coral reefs act as natural breakwaters, helping…

Home News USS Hatteras Warship By Liz Liang February 2014 "The Fatal…

2018 is the third International Year of the Reef—a platform to highlight the importance of coral reefs. Covering less than one percent of the planet, coral reefs are the home to 25 percent of marine species and supply food to millions of…

In this video message, NOS Assistant Administrator Nicole LeBoeuf discusses National Ocean Month, an opportunity to celebrate our amazing ocean. One of the ways NOS celebrates is with a month-long social…

Hello, I’m Nicole LeBoeuf, Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. To celebrate 50 years of ocean and coastal conservation, I’m excited to share with you that the U.S. Postal Service and NOAA’s Office of National…

Once every ten years, NOAA and the U.S. Census Bureau team up to capture snapshots of how our nation's population is changing over time. Learn about this special partnership — and our new "center of…

Get to know the International Coral Reef Initiative — an international partnership to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world. ICRI unites the global coral community and raises awareness of the need to…

Rip currents account for more than 80 percent of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards. They are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore that quickly pull swimmers out to sea. Rip currents…

Transcript NARRATOR: There are many species of coral in the ocean, and they come in astonishing shapes, colors, and sizes. Some corals are soft, but the ones that build reefs are collectively called hard, or…

VIDEO: How do coral reefs benefit the economy? Here's an overview in under two minutes. Transcript Healthy coral reefs support commercial and subsistence fisheries as well as jobs and businesses…

Corals form barriers to protect the shoreline from waves and storms. The coral reef structure buffers shorelines against waves,…

Coral reefs are home to millions of species. Hidden beneath the ocean waters, coral reefs teem with life. Fish, corals, lobsters,…

"Coral reef ecosystems will change as a result of the pressures they are under, but nature perseveres. Efforts to move the needle of conservation in a positive direction will take…

By Yaamini Venkataraman November 2018 Not every marine scientist has the same origin story. Some are instantly enthralled by the ocean and its many inhabitants at a ripe young…

<!-- Kayakers explore the waters of the proposed sanctuary at Mallows Bay, Maryland. Mallow Bay is the first new designated sanctuary site in over a decade. Photo: Kimberly…

Coral polyps form a living mat over a calcium carbonate skeleton. Stony corals (or scleractinians) are the corals primarily…

Coral reefs play a vital role in sustaining the health of our oceans and our economy. NOAA is working to increase understanding of the causes of…

Schools of colorful pennantfish, pyramid, and milletseed butterflyfish live on an atoll reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. …

Corals are sessile animals that "take root" on the ocean floor. It's no wonder that many people think corals are plants! Did you know? When corals are stressed by changes in conditions…

Generally, there are about twice as many coral species in Pacific Ocean reefs as in Atlantic Ocean reefs. Reef-building corals are…

Coral and Ulua found in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Coral reefs found in Papahānaumokuākea are home to over 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which are found only in…

Corals are popular as souvenirs, for home decor and in costume jewelry, yet corals are living animals that eat, grow, and reproduce. It takes corals decades or longer to create reef…

Coral reef ecosystems support important commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishery resources in the U.S and its territories. Fishing also plays a central social and cultural role in many island and…

​Coral reef​s ​​​​in the clear blue waters of Kure Atoll in ​Hawaii's Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument​. Climate change and…

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Scientists now believe that some corals can live for up to 5,000 years, making them the longest living animals on Earth. Continue reading →

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Brain coral in the Dry Tortugas, Florida. The cerebral-looking organisms known as brain corals do not have…

The rusty remnants of a Totten Beacon (foreground) located near American Shoal lighthouse. Photo credit: M. Lawrence. …

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The world ocean provides so many benefits. Here are ten things the ocean does for humans and the planet: - The air we breathe: The ocean produces over half of the world's oxygen and absorbs 50 times more carbon…

A sunken vessel among a coral colony in Vieques, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 23, 2017. Following Hurricane Maria in 2017, NOAA and partners removed a total of 479 displaced vessels and 3,668 hazardous chemical…

Lagoons are separated from larger bodies of water by sandbars, barrier reefs, coral reefs, or other natural barriers. The word "lagoon" derives from the Italian word laguna, which means "pond" or "lake." Although…

Sponges are animals with dense skeletons that are highly adapted to their environments, although it is easy to see why they may be mistaken for plants. Sponges are found in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes – and…

Coral reefs may be able to adapt to moderate climate warming and improve their chance of surviving through the end of this century, if there are large reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. This finding along with data to suggest that…

Historic shipwrecks. Colorful coral reefs. Amazing marine wildlife. NOAA's national marine sanctuaries and estuarine research reserves offer all this and more to diving enthusiasts in coastal U.S. states and…

Estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are home to many different plants and animals. Estuaries also support the U.S. economy in the form of seafood sales, jobs, and recreational activities such as…

Taro Power! Traditional Palauan taro fields act as natural sediment traps that protect the Pacific island nation's coral reefs. Inset image credit: Faustina K.…

Divers remove crown-of-thorns starfish from the islands’ coral reefs American Samoa is tackling a thorny issue on its nearshore coral reefs. The issue takes the form of crown-of-thorns starfish…

This marine sanctuary isn't easy to get to, but it's worth the trip. Located 70 to 115 miles off the coast of Texas and Louisiana, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is one of 14 marine protected areas managed by NOAA's…

Holiday lights make us think of coral reefs. That's why we celebrate the beauty and importance of coral reef ecosystems each year during the first week of December. Join us! Continue reading →

Join us as we celebrate and learn about our world ocean during National Ocean Month. Continue reading →

On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush created what was at the time the largest marine protected area in the world. To mark this anniversary, we're looking back at 10 years of conservation of one of the most remote groups of…

Hawaiian Islands Sentinel Site Cooperative Hawaii stands alone in more ways than one. It is the only U.S. state comprised entirely of islands. There are eight major islands, but the Hawaiian Island Chain consists of more…

"Coral Reef Twilight Zone" This study explored Hawaii's deep coral reefs known as mesophotic coral ecosystems. Mesophotic coral ecosystems, such as this…

We're celebrating World Ocean Day during the month of June by highlighting a select few of our 300 facts about our ocean and coasts. You can follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Look for #30daysofocean. Continue reading…

North Carolina Sentinel Site Cooperative The coast of North Carolina encompasses 325 miles of sweeping beaches, barrier islands, two national seashores, a National Estuarine Research Reserve, a National Marine Sanctuary,…

1. Coral Bleaching in the Pacific The Pacific Islands experienced unusually warm ocean temperatures in the last few years, during the longest global coral bleaching event on…