Operation: Coral Rescue is under way
By NOAA
A feel-good story just in time for #CoralsWeek
The team: A group of Special Operations veterans and coral scientists. The mission: Restoring thousands of coral damaged by recent hurricanes.
It might seem like an impossible mission, but NOAA found the right team to handle the job.
NOAA scientists have partnered with several organizations to help quickly assess damage to coral reefs in Florida and Puerto Rico following this year’s very active hurricane season. One of those partners is Force Blue, a nonprofit group that gives former military combat divers opportunities to use their specialized training to assist with coral reef conservation.
Since October, seven members of the Force Blue dive team, representing all branches of the U.S. military and the British Royal Marines, have been working with coral experts to identify and restore damaged coral reefs.