A coral-reef restoration system that can be packed up and transported easily between remote areas is being put through its paces in the Maldives during its coral spawning season.
The ReefSeed aquaculture project is a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) and Australia’s national science agency CSIRO.
The portable system is being tested for its ability to help coral reefs to repair and recover at Maniyafushi Island in South Male Atoll, at a time of year when many species of corals are reproducing.
“As the climate warms, coral loss from coral-bleaching is a global issue, and unfortunately the coral reefs in the Maldives have not been immune,” said ReefSeed co-lead Dr Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab, an AIMS coral reproduction and aquaculture scientist.
“It’s exciting to see our colleagues putting this training into action and sharing their knowledge and experience on Maldivian corals with us.”
AIMS had already trained several MMRI biologists and technicians to use the ReefSeed system during the Great Barrier Reef’s coral-spawning season last October.
In the Maldives, scientists and technicians from both organisations collected corals to bring into the ReefSeed system ready for the season, which lasts several months. Coral egg and sperm bundles were fertilised and reared into larvae before being settled and transferred to reefs on specially designed ceramic devices.
“ReefSeed has given us hope in restoring reefs that have faced tremendous stress due to bleaching and impacts of climate change,” said MMRI director Khadeeja Ali. “This initiative makes coral-reef restoration scalable and supports restoration of coral reefs with genetically diverse corals.”
She said that the initiative had “significantly strengthened” MMRI’s capacity to implement and improve coral-reef restoration programmes. “With extensive use of ReefSeed’s technology, we are hopeful that a new era of effective and sustainable coral reef restoration can be achieved.”
“We’ve been working with MMRI in the Maldives to train local communities on coral-restoration techniques using sexually produced coral larvae since 2020,” said CSIRO senior research scientist Dr Christopher Doropoulos.
“Some of the training includes collecting information on reef processes such as coral-reproduction timing; other training involves hands-on application of restoration techniques, all published in freely available standard operating procedures.
“Working with AIMS and MMRI to further develop portable aquaculture systems through the ReefSeed system adds another approach to the restoration toolbox.”
The project and collaboration was showcased at an open-day event in the Maldives in March, attended by Maldives politicians and civil servants, Australia's high commissioner to the Maldives and NGO representatives.
“As we move forward with the ReefSeed project, it is clear that the future of our coral reefs lies in our hands,” commented the Maldives' fisheries & ocean resources minister Ahmed Shiyam. “By working together, we can restore what has been lost, protect what remains and ensure that future generations of Maldivians, as well as visitors, can continue to enjoy our stunning coral reefs.”
ReefSeed uses science and technology developed under the Australian government’s Reef Restoration & Adaptation Programme, and was awarded AU $2.3m (£1.8m) over three years by the G20 international organisation Coral Research & Development Accelerator Programme.
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