Angaga Coral Restoration - One Year on...
2018-01-19 13:31:31
Coral Growing Maldives
A
coral restoration project was started in Maldives, near the house reef of
Angaga Island in October 2016.
One year on and it is time to assess progress. Can we grow coral? Is our coral nursery project working?
Full story of SUB AQUA DiveCenter Angaga's Coral Restoration Project - why restore corals in Maldives?
Coral restoration project after 3 months - January 2017
Coral restoration project progress - July 2017
October 2017 marks one year since Angaga's coral reef nursery was first started. Are we happy with it? Absolutely! Is coral growing as expected? Yes - and perhaps even better than expected. The results speak for themselves.
Background to Angaga's Coral Lines
The staff at
SUB AQUA DiveCenter Angaga worked meticulously in October 2016 to create the coral lines you now see underwater, slightly away from the house reef, adjacent to the resort's restaurant. The project began with 9 lines, then 3 more lines were added in January 2017, and another 8 lines were added in June 2017.
In total, there are now 20 thriving lines, with an approximate total numbering 400 individual pieces, from at least 10 different species of branching and table corals.
To maintain the lines and keep them in optimum condition for coral growth, the instructors at
SUB AQUA DiveCenter Angaga inspect the lines visually each time they make an orientation dive with guests on the house reef. If algae is seen to be smothering the corals and lines, this can be detrimental to growth so the line is then shaken for the algae to fall off, or it is brushed clean. Any more interference with the lines is neither necessary nor advised.
How is the coral nursery developing one year on?
It is clear to say it has been a success. Of course growing coral is a slow process but here are a few statistics from our consistent monitoring of the coral lines:
• Approximately 70% survival rate of corals on the oldest lines
• Approximately 90% survival rate of corals on the newer lines (planted January/June 2017)
• Consistent growth of the coral pieces with some pieces doubling in size over the 12 month period
• Other signs of life on the coral lines e.g. long, slim hound fish that camouflage themselves as another coral line in the sequence of lines! Inside almost every piece of growing coral we also find resident crabs and very tiny fish, or puffer fish nibbling at the algae on the ropes (which helps us control the algae spreading)!
Future plans for the Angaga Coral Restoration Project
If you dive the house reef at Angaga Island (for example on your
orientation dive), you will find there are still 3 coral lines free of coral. Given the success of the coral reef restoration project so far we do hope to populate these lines at some point in the near future.
Ultimately, for now, we will continue to watch the corals grow with great interest! We plan to monitor the coral lines for one more year (or possibly more time, depending on the coral growth rate) before attempting to transplant the corals into the main Angaga Island house reef.
