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An
electric solution to saving the TCI's corals
(Go to Original)
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The Biorock
volunteer team, members of the DECR and staff
from Oasis Divers |
IT’S JUST a small electric current
– completely harmless and tickles to the touch – but it
may be the lifeline for hundreds, even thousands, of
corals off the coast of the TCI.
Running through a uniquely designed steel cage embedded
in the sand, this low voltage current provides the
perfect conditions for calcium carbonate, also known as
white limestone, to form.
And once corals are carefully attached to the frame by a
troop of dedicated volunteers, they love it –
flourishing, feeding and becoming resilient to changes
in the environment.
The concept of the Biorock artificial reef was brought
to the TCI two years ago by coastal environmental
engineer Fernando Perez.
The reefs had originally been designed as a means to
increase fish populations in places such as Bali and
Mexico.
But Fernando saw another use for the new technology –
saving stressed and damaged corals from dredging sites
in the TCI.
“I met Tom Goreau, the president of the Global Coral
Reef Alliance, and Wolfe Hilbertz in Cuba in 94/95,” he
said.
“They told me of how Wolfe had developed this process
for building materials under water and Tom had asked
what would happen if corals were attached to it?”
Eventually Fernando convinced Tom to come and take part
in an assessment of reefs in the TCI with a view to
implementing the technology.
“One of the goals I had when I came to the TCI was to
bring in this technology,” Fernando said.
“It is something that has been proven all over the
world, but we were unsure how successful it would be
here.”
With support from the Conservation Fund and Everette
Freites, owner of Oasis Divers in Grand Turk, Fernando’s
dream soon became a reality.
Everette said: “I started sponsoring the Biorock project
about two years ago when Fernando came to me with the
idea.
“We created a frame and placed it in the sea out the
front of the shop and ran power to it from here.”
At first the team met many challenges – they were unsure
how effective the Biorock would be, what corals would
survive better on it, whether it would attract marine
life and how to go about the transplantation process.
But they soon overcame their difficulties and through
trial and error discovered how effective it could be.
“We’ve been putting coral that has been impacted by
cruise centre on it ever since,” Everette said.
“We’re very impressed with it but we will continue to
check it out over the next few months to make sure it
works properly.
“If it continues to be successful we will build more
throughout the TCI.
“I believe it’s very different from reef balls - it is
much more effective and progresses much quicker.”
Everette hopes that the flourishing new coral reefs will
attract snorkellers and scuba divers, in turn creating
business for local diving companies.
Eugene Badresingh, operations manager for Oasis Divers,
was part of team that constructed the first Biorock
frame in the TCI.
“After 12 years in the tourism industry, seeing all the
impact the tourism has on reefs, I was happy to be a
part of Biorock,” he said.
“I fell in love with the idea of growing our own corals
and putting something back.
“I was down there recently and I was so impressed with
the progress - the corals have already fused to
structure and are feeding like crazy.”
He added that the reefs are attracting huge amounts of
wildlife including snappers, grunts, flounders and
groupers.
“In four to five years when it becomes a fully fledged
reef it will be beautiful.”
Eugene hopes to get local people involved in Biorock,
particularly children.
“What I would really like to see is local people
understanding whet we are doing for them.
“I would like for students to become involved, to get
out there, learn to dive and eventually lend a hand.”
The latest transplantation process took place this week
at a new Biorock site opposite Governor’s Beach.
It was organised by Lucy Wells, reef restoration project
manager, who coordinates the whole Biorock process in
the TCI.
Since accepting the role in January she has managed more
than a dozen coral moves – resulting in the relocation
of over a thousand corals.
“My main objective is to get to a point where the coral
can be left to their own devices and just need to be
checked once in a while,” she said.
Volunteer divers took to the seas near the Cruise Centre
in Grand Turk on Monday where there are dozens of
damaged and dying corals.
About 30 foot down volunteers chipped away at the base
of one of four species of hard coral, and once detached
carefully placed each specimen in a basket.
They then transported the rescued corals to a large cage
until the base of it was entirely covered.
When this process was complete divers returned to the
boat where the cage was towed to the new Biorock frame.
After a short break volunteers headed back down into the
water, this time only 15 foot deep, to carefully attach
the corals to the cage one by one.
Wendy, a veteran Biorock volunteer and dive master,
enjoys the process because it is a way of “preserving
coral and creating new dive sites.”
She added that it has also been a unique opportunity to
learn about coral and marine life.
The new site at Governor’s Beach is sponsored by the
Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR)
and the power supply provided by the Governor’s House at
Waterloo.
Wesley Cleveaux, director of the DECR, joined divers on
Monday to assess the progress of the reef.
“Experiments have taught us that these reefs can
withstand more changes in temperature than reefs in
natural sites,” he said.
Corals have been shown to grow three to five times
faster and recover from bleaching up to 20 times faster
than natural reefs.
They can also survive after constant exposure to higher
temperatures, 16 to 50 times more than corals of natural
setting, he revealed.
“Biorock could protect the corals against things such as
hurricanes or climate change.
“This could be the future of the TCI in terms of reefs.”
Volunteer divers can be involved in all parts of the
process, from the collection of corals to the
attachment, as well as the monitoring of fish
populations and coral growth.
The next coral move is taking place in Grand Turk on
Monday, June 30.
If you would like to assist contact Lucy Wells on
946-2801 or email ldwells@gov.tc
By Rebecca Bird |
