NOAA divers conduct buoy maintenance
Pictured: (top row, left to right) Reciprocity Diver Adam Brynes, NOAA Diver Lt. Brian Elliot, (bottom, left to right) Reciprocity Diver Patrick Vandenabeele, Peter Talivaa (Deputy Superintendent, NMSAS), NOAA Diver Ensign Marisa Gedney.
NOAA divers from NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown and NOAA reciprocity buoy team divers at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) teamed up to change out seven mooring buoys and repair and inspect others off Key West, Florida, on July 12. Peter Talivaa, deputy superintendent of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS), observed the operations to learn more about the deployment and maintenance of mooring buoys at FKNMS for future application at NMSAS. Mooring buoys are an important conservation component at National Marine Sanctuaries. They allow boats visiting the sanctuaries to moor in safe areas without damaging valuable resources, and are used as markers to indicate specific regulations, assist with navigation, and provide information. Learn more about the buoy program at: http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/mbuoy/
