Project title: ReefSeed – a portable aquaculture system for rapid and up-scaled production and deployment of corals for reef restoration
Project lead: Andrea Severati
Countries involved: Australia, Maldives
Supporting institutions: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Total budget: $1,459,999
Duration: 36 months
Enhancing the rate of coral sexual reproduction has a high potential to aid in coral reef restoration. This project will build upon portable reef-seeding technologies currently being developed by the Australian Institute of Marine Science. “ReefSeed” is a novel method that minimises reproduction time (weeks instead of months), which can be deployed rapidly from the surface and that delivers a high rate of gamete survival. This project will additionally provide training and technology to coral reef scientists and conservationists in the Maldives such that they may take full advantage of this ground-breaking tool for replenishing degraded reefs.
