NOAA Collaboration in the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys of Monroe County, Florida and the adjoining coastal waters constitute a unique subtropical coastal environment, characterized by a complex mosaic of marine ecosystems, a climate with numerous continental, maritime, tropical, and extratropical influences, and a thriving and diverse human population vulnerable to both natural and anthropogenic hazards.  NOAA is a part of the daily fabric of life in the Florida Keys, with operations ranging from environmental monitoring to weather forecasting, and from marine and cultural resource protection to fisheries management.  In addition, public education and community outreach remain integral to the fulfillment of the “NOAA” mission of science, service, and stewardship.  Over the years, the various line offices of NOAA in the Florida Keys have developed a close and fruitful collaboration involving teamwork, mutual learning, leveraging of resources, and a focus on safety.  This presentation will highlight numerous cases of NOAA collaboration in the Florida Keys, especially between the Florida Keys National Weather Service and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.  Among these cases are examples of weather impact-based decision support services, provided by the National Weather Service to crews, divers, and scientists aboard NOAA ships, boats, and aircraft.  Other collaborative efforts in environmental monitoring, public education, and outreach also will be presented.