July 31st – Coral Restoration

The Coral Restoration was an activity that allowed us to learn about the importance of corals in the ecosystem.

In addition to protecting the shore from wave energy, allowing the formation of sand for beaches and being a reservoir of biodiversity for fish and wildlife, corals also play an important factor in the tourism and recreational industry.

The morning began with visits to 8 informational kiosks (Terrestrial, Coral, Nearshore, Community Service, Photo Booth, and Coral ID / Tag / Frag), where marine biologists and other environmental professionals told stories, shared their knowledge, and allowed us to participate in the restoration of corals.

Steps

Collecting Corals

A group of specialized divers collected corals from the reef. Which ones? Corals that are detached from the reef and those that have a lower likelihood of survival as compared to intact colonies.

Then corals were tagged to track them throughout the process. Also, they were photographed, classified, and the color and health of the tissues were identified.

A diamond blade band saw was used to cut a flat base to create a coral fragment. The fragments were glued to numbered aragonite plugs and placed on a tray. These trays allow the coral fragments to acclimatize and grow in a coral nursery before transplanting them back into the ocean reefs.

The original gathered corals were then returned to their reef.

 It was a very educational activity, as we received very good information about the life and importance of corals, in addition to receiving discount cards from some of the sponsors.