Image 7-16
Caribbean Coral Reef

This image of a coral reef was taken by NOAA photographers in the waters off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea. The islands of the Caribbean are home to a large number of coral reefs. These reefs consist of a unique variety of stony coral species, and house a diverse ecosystem of other marine species of fish and invertebrates. These reefs also provide benefits to nearby human communities by providing shoreline protection from tropical storms and hurricanes that< frequent this region.