The International Coral Reef Symposium is an excellent opportunity for the global coral reef community to come together and share experiences, research, solutions, and traditional knowledge with the shared goal of protecting coral reefs and safeguarding their future.   

As part of our joint venture with Research Planning, Inc., our coral reef ecologists supporting the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and NOAA Centers for Coastal Ocean Science attended the 2026 International Coral Reef Symposium in Auckland, New Zealand. Our team had the opportunity to network with global colleagues and collaborate on issues affecting coral reefs around the world. 

In addition, staff presented on several projects. Below is a list of the presentations they delivered. 

  • Life-history Strategies of Corals: Evidence from Population Trends and Demographic Rates  
  • Endangered, Threatened, and Stressed Out: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Reveals about ESA-Listed Caribbean Coral Populations  
  • More Than Just Counting Corals: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Can Tell Atlantic Reef Managers About Benthic Community Status and Trends 
  • More than Decade of Rapid Coral Community Change on U.S. Atlantic Reefs: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Can Tell Atlantic Reef Managers About Benthic Community Status and Trends
man on state presents life-history strategies of corals

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Monitoring Algal Blooms for Harmful Toxins

CSS employee owners support NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Sensor Development Team in their efforts to detect and monitor these harmful algal blooms in coastal waters where they are likely to occur. HAB monitoring is critical for detecting harmful toxins produced by some algae. When present in over…

Assisting With Maui Wildfire Recovery

As part of our support to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team (START)—for which we are subcontracted through Weston Solutions, Inc.—CSS employee owners have been on-site in three-week rotations to assist throughout the rigorous recovery process. 

Map with 1 meter resolution on left and 30 meter on right.

High Resolution Land Cover Maps Now Available 

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management has released higher resolution land cover maps for Alabama, Mississippi, Northeast Ohio, Rhode Island, and the Puget Sound in Washington.   These 1 meter data—previously only available in 30 meter—provide more detail communities need to map and understand their landscapes and features, including tree canopy, wetlands, impervious surface and several other categories. This additional detail will help inform decisions regarding stormwater management, flood mitigation, wetland restoration, and more.  CSS employee owners—subcontracted through Lynker Technologies—contributed to the release of this…