Coral Repair Cost Massive, If They Work

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Axios recently reported that across five coral reefs in South Florida, “The coral mortality seen as a result of last year’s marine heat wave — which came on earlier — reached a record severity and lasted longer than usual for this region.” Can the damage be repaired? Very possibly not, but if so, the cost would be hundreds of millions of dollars.

Climate Cost —Over $12.5 Trillion

Hurricanes —Each Year Will Get Worse

The NOAA recently evaluated the area where the most damage had been done. “Over the last 40 years, coral reefs in the Florida Keys have suffered dramatic declines. Nearly 90 percent of the live corals that once dominated the reefs have been lost.” Its experts added that the reef helps bring billions of dollars to the Florida economy via tourism and fishing. Coral restoration has become as advanced in Florida as anywhere in the world.

What would the restoration cost? Although there is no figure for the area near the Keys, there is one for Florida and parts of the Caribbean. The LA Times reports, “Here’s the estimated price for restoring two declining coral species found in South Florida and the Caribbean: about $250 million.” Cost is not the only issue. The restoration work would take decades. The price tag is also based on the factors that cause the damage. This means no further increase in global warming.

There are modest but complex projects to solve the problem underway. The Univerity of South Florida and Keys Marine Laboratory relocated considerable amounts of coral last year. “KML is housing more than 1,500 coral specimens that were harvested in the past week from offshore nurseries and parent colonies and relocated to KML by partner organizations during the crisis,” USF reported. However, again, the problem is that relocating this coral back to the area from which it was relocated initially does not improve the situation if the water continues to warm.

Solving the coral problem near the Florida Key may carry a price tag. However, that sum means nothing if the temperature of the water starts to cool. And that will not happen.