Ten years of Acropora replenishment in southern Belize

Lisa Carne, MSc Les Kaufman, PhD Fragments of Hope, Ltd. Boston University Marine Program Placencia, Belize and Conservation International [email protected] [email protected] Partnership:Belize Fisheries Department. www.fragmentsofhope.org An economic study on reef ecosystems (WRI 2008) in Belize reef alone valued their services of shoreline protection, tourism and fisheries between US$268 million to US$370 million per year.

October 2011 May 2016 Nurseries and outplanting on the reef

Tables (ropes, cookies), Transport in sea water frames, domes (not shown)

Scrubbing substrate; Portland II cement 3 years after out planting (ropes, too) Evaluating: Genetics, host & symbiont, coral coverage, photo- mosaics, fish, other biodiversity. Results from Laughing Bird Caye National Park

• Over 59,000 outplants • Elkhorn Survival: 89% > 9.5 years, 99% > 6 years • Coral cover: 6.5 - 23% increase in one year • Coral cover: 0 - >35% in 5 years Sexual reproduction-spawning-all three (taxa) nursery-grown, outplanted acroporids spawned 2015 & 2016!

Carne et al. 2016 (ICRS proceedings in review) Photos: A. Hagan Corals reefs ecosystems are in trouble Anastazia Banaszak – UNAM , Q. Roo [email protected] Degradation

Restoration Propagating sexual recruits is technically feasible 1. REARING IN LAB.

Enhance genetic diversity by outplanting recruits

2. MARINE NURSERY PHASE 3. OUTPLANTING ONTO REEF Developing cost-effective, large-scale solution

Lab: 7 days old

Lab: 1 day old Reef: 14 Reef: 2 days old months old

Lab: 5 days old

Reef: 14 months old Coral reproduction: annual, one night event Cryopreservation; Broaden spectrum of target species Acropora palmata Montastraea faveolata Diploria labyrinthiformis Siderastrea siderea

Acropora cervicornis Dendrogyra cylindrus Colpophyllia natans Montastraea cavernosa

Acropora prolifera Montastraea annularis Diploria strigosa Eusmilia fastigiata PROGRAMA DE RESTAURACIÓN DE ARRECIFES CORALINOS

Parque Nacional Costa Occidental de , Punta Cancún, Punta Nizuc

Claudia Padilla [email protected] PRODUCCIÓN DE CORALES

PROPAGACIÓN REPRODUCCIÓN CLONAL SEXUAL (Impacto Ecológico) (Impacto Evolutivo) SISTEMAS DE CULTIVO

Sistemas de Sistemas de Laboratorio Cultivo Acuarios Marinos Arrecife Cuevones, Cancún

1997- Encallamiento de la embarcación Leward Arrecife Cuevones, Cancún

2012- Condición inicial antes de la Restauración Arrecife Cuevones, Cancún

2016- Restauración activa PROGRAMA DE RESTAURACIÓN DE CORALES Isla Contoy - Firma de convenio 26 nov 2016 Zoe – A living sea sculpture zoecoral.com

Colleen Flanigan Electrolyfic Mineral Accretion | Biorrock [email protected] Constructing a steel “reef” in Cancun Calculating electrode placement for calcification Low voltage direct current precipitates minerals Anchored and charged, marine life starts to arrive Corals colonize and benefit from calcification Bali: corals flourish after some months In 2009, Oceanus AC, its partners and CONANP developed a Reef Restoration Program focus on the recovery of the reef barrier in the Gulf of and the Mexican . Gabriela Nava / [email protected] www.oceanus.org.mx

10 SITES As a first step, we map the reef crest across the region to find donor populations and suitable sites for restoration.

(SEMARNAT-CONACyT, CONANP, COBI-PACKARD). After, we design and install coral nurseries to produce new colonies for restoration.

29 Colonies are transplanted increasing the number of healthy and genotypically diverse reef sites.

To date we have planted >25,000 coral colonies.

30 In 4 or 5 years, these colonies will reproduce sexually, sending larvae to different sites, multiplying the effects of restoration.31 Local communities, fishermen, local hotels and tourism services providers are involved to multiply efforts along the MAR.

32 www.oceanus.org.mx

Mesoamerican Reef Coral Restoration Network

www.red-rac.org