A coral reef restoration project off the coast of Spain has demonstrated just what can be achieved with a little care and attention.
The Deep CORE initiative has revitalized coral reefs in the protected marine area of Punta de la Mona. As EuroWeekly News detailed, the reef habitats of chandelier and orange corals are of particular concern, with both being endangered species.
But the initiative, led by Coral Soul and Coral Guardian, has made a sizable impact in just three years. According to the project's website, 767 corals have already been restored.
Among the biggest issues these remarkable corals face is entanglement in fishing equipment, which is either lost or abandoned by boats in the area. This is breaking corals, with their fragments falling to the sea floor. Organisms then cover the coral fragment, meaning the polyps within corals cannot feed themselves and eventually die.
"Despite the great value of this area, it is in danger because year after year the impacts derived from human activities have threatened the species of this coral ecosystem," local project director Marina Palacios Miñambres said on the organization's website.
"A large amount of waste accumulates on the seabed, endangering the survival of the Coral Garden and all its species. Facing this serious problem, we decided to launch the project."
So far, 1,024 kilograms of marine debris have been collected and removed from the reefs. Meanwhile, adding broken bits of coral to "nurseries" and then reattaching them to the seabed has helped to reverse the damage caused by fishing equipment.
Healthy corals are vital to a functioning marine ecosystem. They provide habitat for a variety of creatures and, in one way or another, are essential for feeding and reproduction cycles. For coastal communities, corals also offer a natural barrier from storms and flooding, which is becoming increasingly critical as human-caused global heating makes extreme weather events stronger, more frequent, and longer lasting.
In addition to restoration efforts, the Deep CORE Project is also increasing awareness among tourists and locals about why coral protection is so essential.
"Taking part in a project like Deep CORE allows me to use all my knowledge and experience for a concrete purpose, with visible and measurable results that have a real impact on the ecosystem, and that is very rewarding," technical diver and volunteer photographer Rafael Camacho said, per the project's website.
Deep CORE's success should inform other coral restoration efforts and protect similar ecosystems in the Mediterranean and beyond.
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