Stuart library hosts panel discussion on local reef protection

  • 2026-05-19
The Florida Oceanographic Society will hold a discussion at the Blake Library in Stuart on a current threat to the local underwater ecosystem.

Dragging the Deep: How Bottom Trawling Threatens a Critical Coral Reef of Florida's East Coast is a presentation where people can learn about how current policy decisions are impacting local reefs and what they can do to protect Florida's ecosystem. The panel will discuss Oculina Coral, a species of coral that has the potential to save reefs around the world. Panelists will talk about how Oculina Coral is at risk.

The panel will be led by Dr. Grant Gilmore and Dr. John Reed. Dr. Gilmore is an experienced scientist who has worked with National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. He was also a research scientist for the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. Dr. Reed is a graduate of the University of Miami and an investigator for the Robertson Coral Reef Research & Conservation Program.

The presentation on Florida coral reefs will be held on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The event will take place in the John F. and Rita M. Armstrong Wing of Blake Library. Adults are the intended audience for the panel, and no registration is needed to attend the discussion. Libraries that host these conversations can use flyer printing to create promotional materials for their educational programs.