The Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire has announced that it has successfully produced over 236,000 coral larvae.
The news comes after the organization observed a grooved brain coral spawning event at four monitoring sites in Bonaire.
The event gives the team a ray of hope after two bad years where the corals around the island have suffered from never-before-seen levels of coral bleaching and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). These events in combination have pushed many species of coral in the water off Bonaire to the brink, and their survival now lies in the balance, since the chances of coral fertilization in the wild are now very low.
Restoration efforts play a crucial role in rebuilding the natural stock of corals and enhancing their genetic diversity. This not only increases the number of corals in the waters but also produces a more resilient species of coral, since scientists have found that these corals are much more resilient to heat stress.
The foundation’s coral reef breeding program was developed in partnership with SECORE International and with the support of the following organizations:
- Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire (OLB)
- The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Quality, and Nature (LVVN) via the Nos ta Biba di Naturalesa project.
Commenting on the event RRFB’s Science Officer Sanne Tuijten stated:
“Every spawning event is a critical and unique opportunity to boost the genetic diversity of Bonaire’s declining coral populations. And with that diversity comes greater resilience.”
