Save the Oculina Reef!
We are organizing citizens to save help save Oculina Reef in Florida. This unique coral ecosystem is found nowhere else on earth!
The Oculina reef is at risk due to a recent amendment by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council which would allow Rock Shrimp Trawling in the buffer area of the Oculina Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern. This amendment still needs to go through a public comment period and can be stopped by NOAA. We have a petition on Change.org that citizens can sign in support of stopping this action. In addition we are gathering organizations to sign on to a letter in opposition of the amendment. The Sign-On Letter and a link to our petition can be found below. Both provide further detail on this initiative. If you are a citizen, please sign our petition. If you are part of an organization that would be interested in signing on to our letter of opposition please email our organization at SLCConservationAlliance@gmail.com
The Oculina reef is at risk due to a recent amendment by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council which would allow Rock Shrimp Trawling in the buffer area of the Oculina Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern. This amendment still needs to go through a public comment period and can be stopped by NOAA. We have a petition on Change.org that citizens can sign in support of stopping this action. In addition we are gathering organizations to sign on to a letter in opposition of the amendment. The Sign-On Letter and a link to our petition can be found below. Both provide further detail on this initiative. If you are a citizen, please sign our petition. If you are part of an organization that would be interested in signing on to our letter of opposition please email our organization at SLCConservationAlliance@gmail.com
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On Wednesday April 13th 2022, a small group of scientists met with NOAA to provide education about the Oculina Reef and the reasons we need to stop this amendment. They also delivered our petition and the letter signed by local and national organizations who support our action to stop this amendment. The meeting went well but we are not out of the woods. The amendment will now go into a public comment period after which a decision will be made on whether the amendment will stand. During the public comment period, weal will resubmit the petition with additional signatures collected between this meeting and the time of the public comment period. In addition we are still adding organizations to the sign-on letter, which will also be re-submitted.
