The warming waters threaten marine life and ocean ecosystems including by bleaching coral reefs.
"The corals are pale, it looks like the colour's draining out," said Katey Lesneski, a research and monitoring coordinator with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .Peak bleaching typically happens in late August or September, but experts say it is taking place much sooner than expected this year as the water temperatures spike.
NOAA this week raised its coral bleaching warning system in the Keys to Alert Level 2, its highest heat stress level. The hot tub temperatures also pose a threat to fishermen and others whose livelihoods may be tied to the water, with knock-on effects for human food supply. One fishing boat captain in Key Largo told the Guardian his catch has been getting "slower and slower" over the past five summers.
Ocean surface temperatures worldwide have broken heat records for the months of April, May and June, according to the US government agency.
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