Coral Reef Surveys

On January 16th, 2021, The International SeaKeepers Society assisted The Surfrider Foundation in conducting field research in Emerald Reef aboard DISCOVERY Yacht Isabel, a 38’ 1973 Bertram sport fisher. Surfrider’s Regional Manager for Florida and Puerto Rico, Marilu Flores, and volunteer Ryan Darling tested out the effectiveness of using a commercial grade submersible drone/ROV ( in this case, a Trident underwater drone from Sofar Ocean) to do coral reef surveys. The surveys are being done for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to document any signs of coral bleaching, disease, or degradation in reefs just off the south Florida coast; specifically offshore of Miami.

Expedition Profile