Project Seeks Input from the Community- How do you use Florida's Reefs?

[ac1724]

Nova Southeastern University Joins Florida Department of Environmental Protection to Learn How Reefs Are Being Used ​

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – Florida is world-famous for its pristine beaches, abundant sunshine and the various watersports it offers both visitors and residents. Many of those ocean activities involve our coral reefs in some way, shape or form. Whether it’s a day of scuba diving, fishing for the next “big catch” or taking part in mini-lobster season, our reefs are a major attraction. But there’s more to the story – our reefs are in trouble.“Since the 1960s, NSU’s Oceanographic Center has been working to learn more about our marine environment, the role it plays and how we can be better stewards of this natural resource,” said Richard Dodge, Ph.D., dean of the Oceanographic Center. “Today, more than ever, it’s vital that we continue to learn how to strike a balance between enjoying our precious resources in the sea and ensuring that they remain vibrant and thrive for generations to come.”To that end, Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Centerhas teamed up with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) to launch the Our Florida Reefs coastal and ocean use survey. This survey is being conducted as part of a local initiative for our area, known as Our Florida Reefs. The survey is intended for anyone – local, state, national or international – who has enjoyed the coral reefs in Southeast Florida to provide information on their experiences. You can find the survey by visiting Our Florida Reefs webpage at www.ourfloridareefs.org and click on the MAPPING tab.Brian Walker, Ph.D., a researcher at NSU’s Oceanographic Center, has coordinated a group of local stakeholders, agency representatives and computer programmers from Point 97 in Oregon to develop a reef-use survey to poll the public. “The data collected from the survey will provide essential information for developing appropriate management strategies whilst affecting the least amount of users,” Walker said.By providing information on where you fish, dive, boat, surf, etc. local residents, reef users, business owners, visitors and the broader public in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin will be part of the data used by the Our Florida Reefs Community Working Groups to enhance recommendations on managing our reefs to better balance resource use and protection while ensuring healthy coral reefs for future generations.Coral reefs are not visible to most people, so the old “out of sight, out of mind” paradigm plays a role in this equation. The idea is to shift that dynamic so everyone understands the importance of our reefs from both an environmental and economic standpoint for Southeast Florida.
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[mselenaous]

Do you fish, boat, or dive in southeast Florida? If so, we want to hear from you!

We are excited to announce the launch of the coastal and ocean use survey! This survey is being conducted as part of a local initiative for our area, known as Our Florida Reefs, and is open to both Florida residents and visitors alike.

Please follow this link to register Our Florida Reefs Mapping Tools | OUR FLORIDA REEFS or visit the Our Florida Reefs webpage at www.ourfloridareefs.org and click on the MAPPING tab.

WHAT: We are collecting information on how you enjoy the reefs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties. By providing information on where you fish, dive, boat, surf, etc. you will be part of the data used by the Our Florida Reefs Community Working Groups to enhance recommendations on managing our reefs to better balance resource use and protection.

HOW: When you enter your e-mail address at the web address above, you will be sent a personal link to your survey. This link will allow you to access the survey as many times as needed. All of your work will be saved and you will be able to open and edit your survey until it is complete. Once the "submit" button is selected, however, it is considered finalized and you may no longer edit your survey.

Please share this survey with friends and family! We want everyone in the region to have a chance to be involved and tell us how they use our Florida reefs. Thank you for taking the time to contribute your valuable information to the Our Florida Reefs community planning process.

Sincerely,
The Our Florida Reefs Team
coral@dep.state.fl.us

 

[mselenaous]

FAQs:
[h=4]Why are we collecting these data?[/h]These data are being collected to better understand how southeast Florida’s coral reefs are being enjoyed and used by residents and guests. By getting a better understanding of what areas are being used, how they are being used, and to what extent they are being used, the Our Florida Reefs (OFR) Community Working Groups will be better able to develop recommended management actions to help ensure a balance between resource use and protection. These data will also help to identify and reduce conflicting uses in the same area.
[h=4]How big of an area am I selecting when I map a location?[/h]Each grid square is 200 m x 200 m (656 ft. x 656 ft.). When you place your marker on the map, each grid square that the marker overlaps is selected. That means you are selecting an area at least 200 m x 200 m. These area dimensions were selected because we wanted to obtain robust data while still keeping reef user’s privacy in mind.
[h=4]I don’t have exact locations of where I went, is it still o.k. to take the survey?[/h]Yes. Try to be as accurate as you can. Try turning on the satellite base-map to orient yourself to familiar roads or buildings. Turn on the NOAA nautical charts if you prefer. There are also popular dive site locations and mooring ball locations in the survey to help orient you. These data can be turned on by selecting the appropriate button in the bottom left corner of the screen. The survey also accepts GPS coordinates in a variety of formats. You may want to gather a list of your locations before you begin the survey.
[h=4]How will my data be used?[/h]Your data will be compiled with the data of all other survey participants to create a density map that shows a summary of where people are visiting the reefs, what activities they are participating in and how often those areas are visited. By combining everyone’s data, we are ensuring that no one’s “secret spots” are disclosed while still gathering information to get a better understanding of reef use in the area. These maps will be available to the public in the OFR Marine Planner. They will also be used by the Community Working Groups to help recommend management actions to balance reef use and protection.
[h=4]Can others see the places I dive or fish?[/h]Because all participants’ survey data are pulled together to create the final maps, no one will be able to see the exact spots at which you dove, fished, etc. The maps will be general in nature and only show where areas of the reef are more heavily used and which user groups frequent these areas.
[h=4]What will be done with my contact information?[/h]Users remain anonymous. Information submitted will not be linked to an individual and location data will be general in nature. The anonymous data will be combined to help Community Working Groups understand reef use and develop more well-informed management recommendations.
[h=4]I have a lot of activities to map, what if I don’t finish?[/h]If you do not finish your survey, do not worry. The original link sent to the email address you provided will allow you to access the survey as many times as needed. All of your work will be saved and can be accessed through this link. Unless, you hit the "submit" button, you will be able to open and edit your survey until it is complete. Once the submit button is selected, it is considered finalized and you may no longer edit your survey.

 

[iluvtheocean]

the beach restoration projects tend to really mess up the 1st and 2nd reefs....