Description: The project aimed to restore degraded coral reef areas across 4 islands by establishing autonomous coral nurseries and relocating coral fragments to specified restoration sites. Its primary objective involved restoring a minimum of 100 colonies each of Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) corals per site, employing genetic profiling and continuous monitoring to ensure diversity and transplant resilient fragments. Key milestones included initiating meetings setting up one nursery and restoration site per island and expanding nurseries by adding five additional colonies. The project produced a comprehensive manual of coral restoration and management protocols. Each island now maintains coral nurseries and transplant sites sustained through donations and local revenue, supported by a new Dutch programme aiding the Caribbean Netherlands’ coral restoration endeavours. Adaptation during the project favoured prioritising Elkhorn coral restoration in hurricane-prone regions due to its stronger resilience against storms, while acknowledging the difficulty in sourcing Staghorn coral colonies, prompting flexible strategies based on species abundance and environmental conditions.
Duration: 36 months
