#coralsweek

Celebrate the start of #CoralsWeek by diving into an undersea rainbow! 🤿💦

This beautiful coral reef, known as Fagatele Bay, is located within National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Here in Fagatele Bay, you'll find at least 271 species of fishes, 168 species of coral, and at least 1,400 species of algae and invertebrates -- all in 0.25 square mile! 

Dive in 360°:

Corals are the foundation of the reef ecosystem that is vital to the marine life, economy, and culture of American Samoa.

These vibrant ecosystems provide habitat and prey for thousands of species. However, these corals face many threats. Rising water temperatures are the greatest climate threat to corals.

Learn more for Corals Week: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/media/docs/20200512-nmsas-climate-change-impacts-profile.pdf.

Celebrate of Corals Week with us by learning about deep sea corals!

Deep sea corals, or cold water corals, can grow for hundreds of thousands of years. They can form complex habitats that provide micro-niches for other marine life. Because of this, these communities are much higher in biomass and diversity than surrounding deep-sea areas!

Learn more by checking out our deep sea corals storymap: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/about/deep-sea-habitats-in-nms-of-the-west-coast.html.

Today for Corals Week we are focusing in on education!

We have developed a Deep Coral Communities Curriculum which takes students into the deep sea to identify the soft corals, hard corals, invertebrates and fish found in these communities and to investigate the unique biology of deep-sea corals.

Check out our page to learn more: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/deep-coral-communities/

As part of our 50th anniversary campaign, we will launch a new resource collection each month through September 2022!

Check out our new Whales Resource Collection. Explore a collection of NOAA videos, lesson plans, posters, webinars, web stories, virtual reality, and more to gain a deeper understanding of whale species and NOAA's efforts within the sanctuary system to protect them and limit the threats they face.

In this new era of ocean conservation, we encourage formal and informal educators and other interested people to take advantage of the robust educational materials available in each topically-based collection.

Learn more here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/whales/

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects the only barrier coral reef in the continental United States.

This fragile habitat is increasingly under threat from hurricanes, disease, boat groundings, rising ocean temperatures, pollution, human interactions, and more. In an effort to address these threats, the sanctuary has proposed Restoration Blueprint. This embodies what we have learned from nearly 30 years of cutting-edge science, technical experience, and local community involvement.

Learn more for Corals Week: https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/blueprint/.

Read the full story here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/dec20/stony-coral-tissue-loss-disease.html

As scientists and resource managers wage war on a highly lethal coral disease, rescued coral colonies in zoos and aquariums across the country are carefully being maintained, waiting for the time when they and their offspring can help restore Florida’s fragile coral reefs.

In an unprecedented response, more than 60 government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations are methodically working to identify the pathogen responsible for the disease, create innovative treatments, conduct aggressive interventions, search for resilient corals, and undertake strategic restoration. The collaborative effort focused on Florida stands to benefit coral reefs in the Caribbean and worldwide.

Today for #CoralsWeek, visit National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa!