NOAA Florida Keys NMS

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with Florida International University, is hiring 2 Research Coordinator II positions — one in Key Largo and one in Key West. Apply: search.careers.fiu.edu/?q=537220 Photo 1: Brenda Altmeier Photo 2: NOAA Photo 3: Ben Edmonds

From the Florida Keys to France… 🌍 One of our Sand Key boundary buoys was found on a beach on the west coast of France—about 4,500 miles away. What route do you think it took? 🌊 More buoy info: floridakeys.noaa.gov/mbuoy/ Photo: Patrick Berteaux

Seagrass - Let There be Light! Seagrass is: A stabilizer. A filter. A nursery. A pantry. 👉 Learn more about why seagrass is one of the most important habitats in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: floridakeys.noaa.gov/plants/seagras… Photo: Paige Gill

The reveal 👀 That mystery shot? The soft coral - Ricodea Florida A Florida native, it inhabits shallow rocky tidal pools. It can have great color variability depending on environmental conditions. Did you guess it right? #What'sThatWednesday, #FKNMS

@shea_colter Sea turtle is correct. It was actually the face of a green sea turtle. Sea turtle for the win!

@FloridaKeysNMS Sea turtle fin

What’s That Wednesday Can you guess what this close-up belongs to? Drop your guess in the comments ⬇️ We’ll reveal the answer later today! #FKNMS

What’s That Wednesday Can you guess what this close-up belongs to? Drop your guess in the comments ⬇️ We’ll reveal the answer later today! #What'sThatWednesday, #FKNMS

We fixed it... now you get to name it. This autonomous surface vehicle is back in action thanks to impressive reverse-engineering by NOAA Corps officer LTJG Tarah Aniya. It maps seafloor, collects imagery & works in shallow waters. Learn more here: sanctuaries.noaa.gov/notes/2026/hel….

This World Water Day, we’re thanking the scientists, engineers, wastewater operators, and monitoring teams working every day to protect the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. 🌊 👇 Know someone doing this work? Give them a shoutout!

Yoga with a mission (and a view) is tomorrow, Saturday, March 21 at Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. Bring your own mat and water bottle. RSVP: FKEDC@NOAA.GOV

The reveal 👀 That mystery shot? A green sea turtle 🐢 Did you guess it right? Chelonia mydas - green sea turtle Green sea turtles are the largest hard-shelled turtles and listed as an endangered species. Find out more about our flippered friends here: floridakeys.noaa.gov/education/crea…

🌱 Did you know? Seagrasses are flowering plants — not seaweed — that live fully underwater. They grow in shallow coastal waters, pollinated by moving water & tiny crustaceans, and spread through underground stems to form vast meadows. Learn more: floridakeys.noaa.gov/plants/seagras…

Science, solutions... and pantyhose? 🌊🧦 @FloridaKeysNMS met with @EPA, @FloridaDEP, & @MyFWC to drive water quality progress! From restoring canals to using pantyhose for sponge restoration, we’re using every tool to protect the Keys. Details gis.myfwc.com/FKNMS_WQPP/get…

Identity: restored. ✔️ Fresh paint, bold stripes, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary name back where it belongs at our Key Largo office. 🎨🌊 Photos: Brenda Altmeier

Yoga with a mission (and a view) is Saturday, March 21 at Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. Bring your own mat and water bottle. RSVP: FKEDC@NOAA.GOV

☀️ A solar-powered sea slug?! By storing chloroplasts from the algae it consumes, this sea slug can capture energy from sunlight, making it one of the ocean’s most unusual solar-powered creatures. See more cool creatures: floridakeys.noaa.gov/education/crea…. Photo: Rachel Plunkett/NOAA

Urchin update from Horseshoe Reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary! 🌊🧹 Newly released long-spined urchins are grazing algae within 15 ft of deployment — clearing space for corals to grow. Monitoring continues with partners at Sustainable Ocean and Reefs (SOAR).

🌱 What’s bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island? The seagrass meadows of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. 1.5 million acres (~1,875 sq mi) — one of the world’s largest continuous seagrass habitats. Learn more: floridakeys.noaa.gov/plants/seagras…

🔬 #ScienceFriday The 2025 Science Report from NOAA is now available — featuring research on our ocean, coasts, and climate. 📄 Read it here: repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/72459 #NOAAScience #OceanScience

David Burke spoke to 100+ community members at the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce, sharing how the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects our waters—from science and the buoy team to the Eco-Discovery Center and Explorer app. Thanks for the warm welcome! 🌊