Report Marine Incidents!

Call the SEAFAN hotline at 866-770-SEFL (7335) or fill out the online report form. You can also click on any of the incidents below to fill out the online form.

The Southeast Florida Action Network

The Southeast Florida Action Network (SEAFAN) is a reporting and response system designed to improve the protection and management of southeast Florida's coral reefs by enhancing marine debris clean-up efforts, increasing response to vessel groundings and anchor damage, and providing early detection of potentially harmful biological disturbances.

What Areas Are Covered?

SEAFAN covers the northern third of the Florida Reef Tract, from the northern border of Biscayne National Park in Miami-Dade County to the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County. To report marine incidents in the Florida Keys, visit http://isurus.mote.org/Keys/meera.phtml.

Who's Involved?

The Network is composed of people who spend time on the water, such as divers, snorkelers, commercial and recreational fishermen, boaters, law enforcement personnel, environmental professionals and anyone else who uses the water or visits the coast. Everyone can contribute to the network by being the eyes and ears on the reef.

What Should Be Reported?

Report any unusual sightings, including marine debris, vessel groundings and anchor damage, invasive species, harmful algal blooms, fish disease and fish kills, discolored water, and coral disease and bleaching. There is no special training needed and no further participation is required; just report what, when, and where the incident was observed.

How Does it Work?

SEAFAN combines three separate programs, each of which is designed to reduce a unique threat to southeast Florida's coral reefs: The Marine Debris Reporting and Removal Program (MDP), the Reef Injury Prevention and Response Program (RIPR), and the Southeast Florida Marine Event Response Program (SEMERP). Click on a program name below to learn more about it!

All reports received through the telephone hotline or online form are logged into a comprehensive marine incident database and evaluated. When appropriate, a response is coordinated, based on the type of report:

• Marine debris reports are used to target future cleanup efforts. Large debris are documented for future removal by experienced personnel, while sites that tend to accumulate smaller debris are identified for volunteer-based reef cleanup events.
• If necessary, vessel grounding or anchor damage reports are followed by a site assessment to determine the presence and extent of reef injuries. Response efforts include outreach to the responsible parties in order to reduce the likelihood of a repeat occurrence, and in some cases mitigation activities to restore the damaged or lost resources.
• Reports of possible biological events (e.g. fish disease and fish kills, harmful algal blooms, coral disease and bleaching, invasive species, discolored water, etc.) are tracked to determine the spatial extent and duration of the incident. DEP CRCP staff distributes information and coordinates with regional partners to schedule initial site assessments and implement response protocols, when necessary.