Reef Restoration
SCUBAPRO and Mote Marine Laboratory have partnered to combine leading science with a plan to scale reef restoration efforts.
Join SCUBAPRO and Mote Marine Laboratory as a citizen scientist and gain hands-on training in skills used to study and restore coral reefs. Whether you’re an aspiring marine biologist or simply passionate about the sea, you’ll work side by side with professionals using methods that are shaping the future coral reef conservation, and you’ll discover what it truly takes to be part of the solution.
With opportunities for both divers and snorkelers, two program options are available (below) based on your level of interest. Your experience will vary with the seasons and ocean conditions.
Activities may include: Outplanting nursery-grown corals onto Florida’s Coral Reef • Assisting with cleaning and maintaining Mote’s expansive in-water coral nurseries • Conducting coral health surveys and contributing to real data collection • Earning a certification upon program completion to recognize your impact.
Join Mote Marine Laboratory as a citizen scientist and receive hands-on opportunities to make a positive difference in the health of our coral reef system- the full restoration experience where you can partake in a coral’s journey from start to finish.
Spend a day learning about coral reef science, helping fragment coral utilizing Mote’s science-based research to create genetically identical duplicates that grow as much as 50x faster than a natural coral, and tour one of the country’s largest land-based coral nurseries. After spending a morning with Mote Scientists, in-water activities may include helping to maintain Mote’s expansive in-water nurseries, and monitoring coral health. Activities will be dependent on water and weather conditions.
Summerland Key:
- June 6, 2026
- Sept. 5, 2026
Key Largo:
- April 4, 2026
- Aug. 1, 2026
- Nov. 7, 2026
Join Mote Marine Laboratory as a citizen scientist and receive hands-on opportunities to make a positive difference in the health of our coral reef system- with a focus on in-water activities. This option does not include an opportunity to tour one of Mote’s land-based coral nurseries, or try coral microfragmentation- Mote’s science-based research to create genetically identical duplicates that grow as much as 50x faster than a natural coral.
Spend the morning learning about Mote’s science based research and sit in on a dive briefing before heading out to conduct maintenance at one of Mote’s expansive in-water coral nurseries, or outplanting nursery grown corals to the Florida Reef Tract. Activities will be dependent on water and weather conditions.
Key West:
- April 18, 2026
- June 20, 2026
- Oct. 3, 2026
Islamorada:
- March 14, 2026
- May 16, 2026
- July 11, 2026
The Coral Story
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