Restoration of Coral Ecosystems

Background

Coral reefs are vulnerable to destruction by human activities, either gradually, through degraded habitat quality, or suddenly through catastrophic damage from vessel groundings, toxic spills, or habitat destruction. Natural recovery of coral and other benthic invertebrates and fish populations can be slow in areas of degraded habitat and in the presence of other stressors, such as pollutants, climate change, high abundances of pest species, exotic species, or species that compete or inhibit the recruitment and growth of native fishes and corals and other benthic invertebrates. Natural recovery may never occur when the underlying habitat structure is destroyed or when the prevailing environmental conditions have been chronically degraded over time. When reefs have been damaged by human activities, removing or mitigating the anthropogenic stressors responsible for their decline may enhance natural recovery. Once these stressors are eliminated it may be possible to speed up recovery through coral reef restoration efforts.

Historically, restoration efforts undertaken by NOAA were associated with vessel groundings and have involved the structural repair of damaged reef frameworks to avoid continued loss of habitat associated with erosion. They also may involve the transplantation of corals and other organisms to restore community composition and accelerate recovery of the habitat.

Recently, NOAA researchers have begun exploring linkages between intact trophic structure and healthy coral reefs. This includes efforts are exploring the possibility of restoring trophic structure through reintroductions of key missing links or removal of pests spices. Novel and low-cost ecological methods tested by NOAA include:

1. Removal of coral predators;
2. Reintroduction of herbivores to reduce algal cover; and
3. Culturing of coral fragments generated by hurricanes and other disturbances in laboratory and field nurseries and transplantation to degraded sites.

Current or Recent Restoration Activities Include:

1. Fortuna Reefer Grounding on Mona Island, Puerto Rico;
2. Ecological approaches to restoration;
3. Deeper reef restoration at Oculina Banks; and
4. Cape Flattery Grounding in Hawaii.

Future Restoration Efforts

NOAA's coral reef restoration efforts are providing insight into 1) factors controlling settlement and post settlement survival of corals, 2) benefits and drawbacks of different structural restoration approaches, and 3) optimal strategies for fragmenting and transplanting corals. NOAA Fisheries and other members of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force will continue to work with local state and territory agencies to:

• Evaluate the success of restoration projects;
• Develop cost-effective, ecologically sound restoration methods;
• Evaluate benefits of using vessels as artificial reefs;
• Develop sources of coral fragments;
• Enhance restoration research; and
• Increase community awareness of restoration efforts.

Return to NMFS coral reef fisheries management page.