Question: What makes the Florida Reef unique among coral reef systems?
Answer: It is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S., stretching along the Florida Keys.
This third-largest barrier reef system in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef) stretches over 300 miles just offshore from the Keys. Unlike deeper or more remote reefs, its accessibility has made it vital for diving, research, and tourism, though it faces severe threats from climate change, bleaching, and pollution, highlighting Florida’s role as guardian of a rare continental marine ecosystem.
