How do we Grow New Coral Reefs?

Corals Are A CRITCAL ECOSYSTEM

HOW WE GROW NEW CORAL REEFS?

OUR CLIENT SECTOR BASE

HOW DO WE VALUE CORAL?

ASPIRATIONAL CORAL CREDITS

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY 2030, MORE THAN 90% OF ALL CORAL REEFS WILL BE THREATENED.

Brood and Seed Stock

 

Coral Futures has entered into a Perpetual Agreement with World of Coral (WOC) and Australian Coral Farms (ACF) to supply 5,000kg of marine aquarium coral quota each year.  This will act as brood/seed stock, and for the seeding stock for the reef modules.

 

The brood/seed stock is harvested by hand with a small chisel used by a skilled diver. These small coral pieces are then affixed to a custom designed ‘reef plate’. We use a specially engineered substrate, made primarily from recycled materials like glass and plastics.  We also mix a precise amount of calcium carbonate with it, as this ensures maximum coral adhesion that helps the coral thrive. The new stock is then attached to a ‘rail’ in the substrate before being lowered to the ocean floor.

 

It is now ready to thrive.

 

Did you know that by using some selected species we can turn just 1 square metre of coral brood/seed stock into nearly 400 metres squared in just a few years?

 

The corals will be selected and fixed on the following basis.  They:

 

  • will come from an area within the same geographical area as the artificial reef so as not to be classified as a translocated coral;
  • will be collected by divers from an approved location and put into underwater baskets, then landed on the brood stock boat;
  • will be in baskets of multi coral species on industry used plugs for single species use, with each being uniquely identifiable;
  • will be a mix of Scleractinia corals and Octo corals; (see list below)
  • will then be traversed to the site by the divers, who will then take the corals down to the new artificial reefs where they will be glued/wedged between
         modules for stability.

 

We are Selective Coral Breeders

Selective coral breeding means assisted evolution.

Our team choose corals that cope well in harsher conditions. This selective process means better growth and resilience. We choose specific types of coral that have a proven history of coping well under more difficult circumstances – 150,000,000 years is a long time to be around!  Many of the coral species we see today remain virtually unchanged.

So how will coral manage with global warming and rising sea levels.  It will adapt.  Coral is tough…

 

Coral Species to be Used in Seeding

None of the corals used in the brood/seed stock process are corals that are banned from being taken in the marine aquarium industry.

 

The following target species will be used for this purpose:

  • Turbinaria spp.
  • Favia spp.
  • Favites spp.
  • Duncanopsammia axifunga
  • Fungia spp.
  • Echinophyllia spp.
  • Montipora spp.
  • Acanthastrea spp.
  • Corallamorphia spp.
  • Zoanthian spp.
  • Goniopora spp.
  • Alveopora spp.
  • Lobophyllia spp.
  • Symphyllia spp.
  • Acropora spp.
  • Euphyllia glabrescens
  • E. ancora
  • Caulastraea spp.
  • Leptastrea spp.
  • Gorgonians spp.
  • Cladiella spp.
  • Sarcophyton. spp.
  • Alcyonium spp.
  • Capnella spp.
  • Sinularia spp.

 

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION...

We grow new reefs in optimal locations for maximum coral growth.

 

Millions of dollars are invested in existing reef restorations.  We think that this is great, as all coral is under threat, but we also believe that choosing new locations to grow new reefs that help maximise growth is just as important.

 

This site was chosen for the following operational reasons:

 

  • It is sheltered from the worst of the WA coast’s cyclone activity as supported by the before/after observations of 20 cyclonic events in the last 22 years.
  • It has generally withstood bleaching events as supported by the observations of the last 22 years.
  • It has favourable water currents.
  • Its depth affords more conducive diver work and safety.
  • It has good clarity of water for diver operations.
  • It is outside of the main traffic routes used by commercial, and the oil and gas support ship traffic.
  • It is generally outside of known recreational fishing and traffic paths.
  • It has low strength of the large tides in the area.
  • It has a sand bottom over limestone base, that whilst stopping natural coral settlement, also stops the modules from settling in soft sand.
  • It shows small existing coral patches in the general area, that illustrates coral survival from cyclones and possible natural settlement.
  • It is close to the Port of Dampier for transporting the modules.
  • It is close to the Company’s operational location (8 – 25km) for brood stock collection.

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