Joana Figueiredo, executive director of the National Coral Reef Institute and associate professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, is working on coral restoration projects to preserve the ecosystem.
“Coral reefs are the ecosystem we have here in South Florida and are very valuable for all of us. Imagine if you didn’t have reefs out there. It would mean that whenever we have a storm, we would have much more flooding than we do at the moment,” Figueiredo said.
The NCRI is part of NSU’s efforts to have a sustainable blue economy, which involves research and commerce as it relates to the ocean.
NSU President Dr. Harry K. Moon talked about the importance of the blue economy at his investiture on Jan. 31.
“In Florida today, the blue economy accounts for more than $800 billion in economic impact, or almost 80% of the state’s gross domestic product,” Moon said. “As a hub for research, collaboration and education, NSU Ocean is ideally positioned to deliver an immediate and lasting impact on Florida as it becomes the 10th largest economy in the world by 2030.”
Holly Lynn Baumgartner, dean of the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, said the blue economy is focused on money generated by ocean activities, as well as preservation of the ocean.
“If our coral reef, which runs the length of Florida, isn’t a healthy reef, then it stops being a protection from tropical storms,” Baumgartner said.
The blue economy is benefited by ocean activities like snorkeling, fishing and diving.
“From purchases to activities out on the ocean, the seafood you’re eating at the restaurant, all those things are ways in which you’re tied into the blue economy,” Baumgartner said.
One way NSU plans to preserve the blue economy is by developing a Rising Seas Institute for the university, whose mission “is to provide global leadership for understanding and adapting to the challenges of rising sea level,” according to its website.
“What we see happening in the last couple years here in South Florida is flooding, flooding, flooding. That destabilizes the foundation of houses and condo units and apartment units. It floods our streets,” Baumgartner said. “The Rising Seas Institute looks at that and many situations that affect the blue economy.”
Port Everglades, which has the (NSU) Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center on its entrance channel, contributes $26.5 billion annually to the blue economy.
“Our Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center sits on the port and is part of the Port Everglades Action Team,” Baumgartner said. “We all share that entrance there at the port, where the water from the ocean comes in, our cruise lines are shipping things, our research boats, all that comes through that channel right there.”
Figueiredo said preserving the blue economy is important because of the resources it provides, like fish and protection from big waves.
“In one way we want to preserve the ecosystem, but it doesn’t have to be preserved to a level that you just don’t touch it. It means that you preserve it in a way that it will keep on giving us humans all sorts of ecosystem services,” she said.
For students interested in learning more about the blue economy, Baumgartner said they could take courses at NSU, regardless of their academic background.
“Whether you’re a law student, a healthcare student, a business student, psychology, nursing, any of them, they do have courses that tie into how you have an impact or a relationship with the ocean,” Baumgartner said.
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