Bahamas
Timeframe: 2019 - ongoing
Location: Ocean Cay, Bahamas
Partners: University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University
Despite covering less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, coral reefs support more than 25% of marine life. Over the past 70 years, more than 50% of the world’s coral reefs have been lost. These vital ecosystems now face grave threats to their survival from destructive fishing practices, sedimentation, pollution and above all climate change-induced bleaching events that damage and kill coral. These combined ongoing stresses have far-reaching consequences, affecting not just the environment but also the economies, societies and cultures that rely on the reefs.
That's why the MSC Foundation is committed to restoring coral reefs with our Super Coral Programme at Ocean Cay in The Bahamas. According to conservation scientists, the key to reversing the rapid decline in coral reefs lies in assisting coral’s natural selection process by establishing certain hardy species and varieties, dubbed “Super Coral”, which are more resilient to severe environmental stresses like extreme heat.
At Ocean Cay, we're growing critically endangered coral in offshore nurseries to be outplanted across 64 square miles of the surrounding marine environment.
Results: 298 coral fragments growing successfully in our coral nursery with 100% survival after 4th global heat event.
THE 3 PILLARS OF THE PROGRAMME:
1. ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE
MARINE CONSERVATION CENTRE: Establish a unique research facility initially focused on coral propagation to produce thousands of “Super Coral” fragments in land and sea nurseries to populate Ocean Cay’s reefs.
CONSERVATION: Build a coral bank of over 20 highly-vulnerable Caribbean species, and conduct targeted interventions to conserve and restore critical ecosystem features and other marine species, including herbivores and sea grass.
2. SCIENCE & EDUCATION
RESEARCH: Support university and applied graduate research to refine our understanding of Super Coral by identifying more robust species and developing knowledge of reef resilience to support efforts in the region and around the world.
3. AWARENESS RAISING
EDUCATION: Provide an opportunity for millions of Ocean Cay visitors to learn about and experience marine conservation and restoration efforts first-hand.
ENGAGEMENT: Inspire and motivate Ocean Cay visitors to support the Super Coral Programme and become involved in further coral conservation activities.
Help the MSC Foundation reverse the decline in coral reefs around Ocean Cay with a donation today!
Challenges
25%
of reefs support of all marine life
50%
of all coral has died-off in the last 30 years
50%
of 100s of acres of coral off Ocean Cay have already perished
Up to 90%
of global reef could be lost by 2030 due to ocean warming, pollution and overfishing
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