Experimental Oculina Research Reserve
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Experimental Oculina Research Reserve | |
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| IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve) | |
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| Location: | Florida, USA |
| Nearest city: | Fort Pierce, FL |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 300 nautical mile² (1,030 km²) |
| Established: | June 27, 1994 |
| Governing body: | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
The Experimental Oculina Research Reserve preserves the Oculina Banks, a reef of ivory tree coral (Oculina varicosa) off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida.
In 1984, a 92 square-nautical-mile portion of these reefs was designated the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern. In 1994, the area was closed to all manner of bottom fishing and was redesignated a research reserve. In 2000, the marine protected area was expanded to 300 square-nautical-miles and prohibited all gears that caused mechanical disruption to the habitat.
Commercial and recreational harvesters heavily exploited reef fish, such as grouper and snapper, prior to the establishment of the reserve, and extensive areas of ivory tree coral habitat had been reduced to rubble by trawling or dredging, with few or no living coral colonies remaining in sections of the bank. Reef fish populations in the impacted areas have become sparse. The reserve is now undergoing habitat restoration projects.
[edit] References and external links
- A Particular Concern: Protecting Deep-Sea Corals
- The Experimental Oculina Research Reserve: Oculina Habitat Restoration
- Oculina Coral Banks 2002
- Oculina Coral Banks 2003
- Experimental Oculina Research Reserve
