Water quality tests in Key West show evidence that cruise ships stir up as much sediment that can harm coral reefs and other marine life as a hurricane. Local officials responded by halting the tests.

Read more: 15 Most Breathtaking Destinations To Swim With Turtles, According To Travelers Key West is known to have some of the most stunning coral reef snorkel adventures in Florida, like at John ...

Coral samples were collected from different offshore nurseries from (Coral Restoration Foundation, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and Rosenstiel’s Rescue a Reef Program) and transported to the CIMAS ...

On a clear morning in May 2009, seven miles off Key West ... a poor substrate for coral growth, and the bundled tires, instead of helping to augment two adjacent natural reefs, ended up smothering ...