Coral Reef Research Centers
Institutions of higher education or nonprofit marine research organizations applied to become a Coral Reef Research Center, under the reauthorized Coral Reef Conservation Act (2022). Benefits of becoming a CRRC are:
- Participation in stewardship partnerships
- Eligible to apply to the Ruth D. Gates Grants Program
- Eligible to compete for designation of Atlantic and/or Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute
In 2025, thirty-two institutions (23 in the Atlantic, 9 in the Pacific) were designated as Coral Reef Research Centers.
| Atlantic CRRCs | Atlantic CRRCs (cont'd) | Pacific CRRCs |
|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Coral Reef Institute | Plant A Million Corals Foundation | American Samoa Community College |
| Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico | The Nature Conservancy, Puerto Rico Program | Arizona State University Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science |
| Coral Restoration Foundation | The Nature Conservancy | Hawaii Marine Education Research Center |
| Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative | The Nature Conservancy, USVI Coral Innovation Hub | Hawaii Sea Grant |
| Florida Atlantic University | University of Florida Sea Grant | The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra |
| Florida Institute of Oceanography at Key Marine Laboratory | University of Florida | University of Guam Marine Laboratory |
| Florida Institute of Technology | University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science | University of Hawaii at Hilo Department of Marine Science |
| Florida International University | University of Puerto Rico, Department of Marine Sciences | University of Hawaii at Hilo, Multiscale Environmental Graphical Analysis (MEGA) Lab |
| Institute of Socio Ecological Research | University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus Marine Biology Program | University of Hawaii System |
| Mote Marine Laboratory | University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez | |
| National Coral Reef Institute at Nova Southeastern University | University of the Virgin Islands | |
| Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science |
Reef Research Coordination Institutes
Under the reauthorization of the Coral Reef Conservation Act, Reef Research Coordination Institutes, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, were designated through open competition among 32 eligible Coral Reef Research Centers.
Established through cooperative agreements, the Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute is housed at Nova Southeastern University (Davie, FL) and the Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute within the University of Hawai’i System (Honolulu, HI).
- Nova Southeastern University has a proven track record in coral reef research and conservation in the region through its National Coral Reef Institute, a center to assess, monitor, and restore coral reefs in Florida and beyond through research and education. The Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute will steward projects within the state and federal waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and work closely with relevant government agencies in those areas on conservation and capacity needs.
- The University of Hawai’i System includes the Manoa, Hilo, and West O’ahu campuses and as the largest university in the region, it has extensive partnerships already in place throughout the Pacific. The Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute will steward projects within the state and federal waters of American Samoa, Guam, Hawai’i, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as other opportunities in the Freely Associated States and work closely with relevant government agencies in those areas on conservation and capacity needs.
The Reef Research Coordination Institutes will perform the following critical functions:
- conduct federally directed research to fill national and regional gaps;
- collaborate with relevant states and territories, Native entities, coral reef managers, NGOs, and other Coral Reef Research Centers;
- assist in the development and implementation of the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy and coral reef action plans;
- build non-Federal capacity; and,
- conduct public education and awareness programs.
