Restoration Program

Dr. German Mendez [email protected] FB Cozumel Restoration Program OBJETIVES

1. Restore areas outside the marine park as alternative areas of use for diving activities. 2. Underwater ecology and research programs. 3. Protection of the areas restored according to the Presidential Decree of 1980 called refuge zone for the protection of the Flora and Fauna marine of the Cozumel island West Coast 4. Create educational programs for visitors and diving operators Cozumel Coral Restoration Program • Coral Reefs of the world are in danger and in the last century we have lost more tan 50% of the reefs because of :

Over fishing Climate Change Acidification Contamination

Sedimentation Coral Reef Diseases Overdevelopment Hurricanes () Damage caused by the cruise ships on to the coral reef during the construction and the operation. When ships back up, they lift all the sediments and sand that by the currents close to the shore, are verted on top of our shallow reefs, smothering them and covering the reefs with algae. In Key Largo, Florida, they started with a program to restore coral reefs by creating a Coral Farm where are grown, cataloged and reintroduced in áreas where the coral has been damaged by storms or by over development with very good results working with ramificated reefs such as the cervicornis.

Acropora cervicornis Montrastea cavernosa Volunteers in the farm, Acropora cervicornis Over concrete bases sp cleaning the concrete Attached with the epoxy where coral grows free Over a concrete slab at bases of algae. to the coral substrate and of sediments. 26 ft of depth The label one side of it In Cozumel, there is very little coral of the species Acropora cervicornis which is the most adequate coral for restoration due to its fast growth. (1 cm per month. Lewis 1968). However in Cozumel we will be working mostly with two other fast growing, fragmentation corals which are the Porites porites, and tenuifolia. These species are common in Cozumel and sometimes storms and divers sometimes break this fragile corals which fall to the sand and are smothered by it. Those pieces of live coral are the one use for restoration in the farm, this pieces are collected outside of the Cozumel Marine Park. The purpose of this program, is to establish an area in Cozumel outside of the marine park where coral will be grown on top of a concrete slab with cup holders where there will be planted corals to grow in a control environment and under care with the help of volunteers to restore the most affected areas of Cozumel coral reefs due to the storms, overdevelopment and divers overload. Also it will be an area where there will be promoted studies for research and the conservation of coral reefs, as well as to learn of reproduction, diseases, contamination and propagation. The area is located in front of the beach of the hotel Royal Park , about 300 m east of the international peer, and about 40 m west from the from the beach at a depth of 30 ft. The first restoration areas are ouside of the marine park in the area between the international peer and the downtown peer

Location from land Restoration area at Substrate has to be Northern portion of Aquaworld dock. a depth of 7 m. cleaned from algae the restoration area. 40 m west. and sediments Southern coral restoration areas The beginning of the farm October 2013 Farm of Coral and restoration areas. This project begins in October 2013 opposite the Royal Park Hotel Procedure to Attach the coral colonies Method of transplantation of coral Porites Porites in the restoration area

3.-cleaning the area of 1 locate Coral fragments alive 2- Retrieve the coral transplantation with the On the sandy areas fragment holding it from where has no living tissue spatula

4-removal of sediments 5-Coral colony fixed with 6-set of colonies fixed with with plastic brush epoxy to the substrate epoxy in the restoration area Area for planting bases of concrete with fragments of coral

This area is located at a depth of 6 m, and at a distance of 10 m to the East of the area of restoration. It has 10 m long from East to West and 6 m wide from North to South. It has begun with the sediment cleaning and removal of harmful algae. Once cleaned the area, will be fixed with epoxy colonies that will be supervised by a few tables before being transplanted to places of restoration. This area is cleaned by volunteers once they take the orientation course (theoretical) Marine and Reef Restoration Ecology Programs Material

1. 8- Plastic color tape 2. Metal and wood spatulas 9- Tupperware containers 3. Plastic brushes 10- Mesh bags 4. Chisel and hammer 11- Permanent markers 5. Epoxy clay 12- Slates, waterproof papers and pencils 6. Plastic labels 13- Underwater camera 7. Quick dry cement 14- Rulers and measuring tape

Two different epoxy uded for coral to Wood and metal Plastic Brushes anchor the coral transplants spatulas Objectives The program consists in educating the volunteers through a training course that will aloud the participants to help in the coral farm and in the coral reefs restoration program. The course consists in 4 theory classes and 4 diving practices. At the end of the course, the participants will receive their “Coral Reef Conservation” PADI Specialty and a diploma validating their volunteer work.

The theory is divided in:

I II 1- Project Aware 1- What is the Coral farm? 2- Importance of Coral Reefs 2- Cleaning of the concrete coral holders 3- Understanding Coral 3- Methods of collecting coral fragments 4- Complex Nature of Life on the Coral Reef 4- Handling of live coral fragments 5-Coral Reefs in Peril 5- Diving protocol in the coral farm with 6- Protect the Living Reef emphasis in control

III IV 1- Handling of coral holders 1- Restoration area protocol 2- Use of the epoxy clay 2- Preparation of the area for coral transplant 3- Knowledge and use of tools for restoration 3- Methods of permanent tagging of transplant 4- Methods to mark planted corals 4- Transport and handling of coral transplants 5- Data collecting protocol 5- Data collecting and photo of transplant The course also consists of 4 training dives which will be held from the beach in front of the Aquaworld at a distance of 40 m of the beach and a depth of 30 ft. Each dive is about 45minutes.

Four training Dives which are: ! II 1- Knowing the coral farm underwater 1- Labeling planted corals 2- Cleaning of the slab from algae and sediments 2- Cleaning of the coral holders 3- Handling the epoxy underwater 3- Selection and identification of the corals to plant 4- Location of coral fragments 4- Collection of Data and photography of coral 5- handling underwater of live coral panted in the farm. III IV 1- Location of the area to restore 1- Visit of the transplanted corals 2- Preparation of the area for coral transplant 2- Meassuring growth and data collecting 3- Tagging the trasplantrd coral 3- Photo of the coral colony 4- Data collecting and photo of the coral 4- Look for new areas to restore Restoration Reef dives

Transport of the colonies of coral to the Cleaning algae and sediments of Corals on the concrete base in the Putting fragments of coral on a concrete quarantine area the concrete base quarantine area secured with epoxy concrete base, fixed with epoxy

Epóxico All Fix which combines Cleaning the area where the corals will Substrate after having been cleaned Fixation with epoxy base to the colony underwater and hardens in 5 min. be set at its base to the substrate with of algae and sediments to plant the of coral to the substrate. There is a local alternative epoxy that the epoxy colony of coral. dries in 15 m We created a system of boy markers around the restoration areas to advice the divers to avoid to go over those fragile new reefs. And to control their buoyancy. Areas restored around Coral farm More restoration áreas where the Fish population has increased due to the new healthy coral colonies Outside the Marine Park coral restoration areas The future of the Cozumel Coral reef Restoration Program

The confinment area will be made of pvc where will be attached to bases of concrete where the new design of the containers in this case called ¨COOKIES¨ where smaller size colonies will be attached and then kept inside the control area (fig 1). In this new design for the coral restoration confinment áreas, we are using the method described by Dr, David Vaughan from the Mote Institute which is using what thecookies where coral colonies are smaller and easily attaches to different structures with a minimal amount of epoxy. Project South University of Area south project Reef Balls 1 and 2 made in the year 2009. Opposite the condominium el Palmar North zone 2 formed by pieces of concrete of the dock that fell in 2005 The importance of the program of restoration of the reefs of Cozumel, is based on coral recovery more quickly from events such as storms or overdevelopment in areas where today, more than 90% of the coral has died and has not recovered mainly that there is more traffic of motorboats, construction of infrastructure and other causes that have affected the areas of coral from the international dock to the dock in downtown. It is important that both locals and visitors are involved as a volunteers through coral reef ecology programs and really help us to be an example in the where more than 80% of the corals have been affected. In this past elections the new gobernor of the state of Quintana Roo Mr, Carlos Joaquin made a comittment with Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program and Restore Coral.org to plant a coral for every vote recieved. This program is state wide so , , , , Cancun, and Mahaual will be participating involving al the Mesoamerican Reef in , which will help this barrier reef so affected by New development. Thank you for your attention