Coral Restoration Foundation Curaçao celebrated their second year of operation this last week. Saturday, May 27, the team of CRFC and a few dive centers, schools and local volunteers out planted 410 new corals on Curaçao’s reefs.
To give some background to this effort, it all began in May 2015 with 400 coral fragments of Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) hanging from 10 “trees” located on the house reef of Ocean Encounters Diving and Lions Dive and Beach Resort. Additional 10 trees were installed late that year that were populated with fragments of corals from the first trees. A year later, the nurseries held already 1250 corals.
The first anniversary was celebrated by transplanting 360 corals at the Tugboat, Sweet Bottom, and the house reefs of Lions Dive and Sunscape Resorts. At that time, we set a target of 2000 out planted corals for the second anniversary.
”Well, it happened! With the 410 corals out planted at Sweet Bottom and Directors Bay, we reach a total of 2011 corals! Our target is to have two additional affiliate members to expand the nurseries across Curacao reefs for the third year anniversary” as quoted by Pol Bosch, CRFC Project Manager.
We want to acknowledge our initial sponsors, Curacao Airport Holding, Kooyman, Maduro & Curiel’s Bank, Cressi and Ocean Encounters, for their donations and support through these successful two years.
Support for this project through sponsorship is integral for success, and volunteers will be needed for regular nursery maintenance and care. For donations and more information contact: info@coralrestorationcuracao.org
