Products Engineering Enviro.
Coral reefs are among the most fragile ecosystems on the planet.
The cultivation of coral reef organisms can help sustain the ornamental fish industry and help restore the wild populations impacted by exploitation and habitat destruction. The Center for Marine Ornamental Research is developing the techniques to farm marine ornamental fish and invertebrates as an alternative to collecting specimens from the wild. A project funded by the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund is determining if hatchery reared Caribbean sea fan corals can be used to replenish or expand coral populations in the Florida Keys. A project funded by the Florida Sea Grant College Program is developing the culture techniques for several species of marine ornamental shrimps. Recent biotechnology and ocean exploration research has identified several new marine species that contain biomedically active compounds, which have been shown to be medically applicable for treatment of cancer.