Shark Protection
Without sharks most tropical ecosystems are doomed!
Observational evidence show that sharks play a vital role in all tropical reef ecosystems. They regulate the entire food chain from the top down and ensure a balanced ecosystem. Wherever sharks were removed from the food chain, fish populations have collapsed and even coral health on the reef has declined!
The reason why sharks are essential to healthy corals is that they ensure that meso and sub predators are kept in check. This in turn means that there is just the right amount of farmer fish present on the reef. They keep corals free from sediment as these little fish swim between them. Their movement between the corals fans off the sediment. However, if there are too many of those farmer fish they damage the corals. The reason for this is that farmer fish, such as the male Damsel for instance, grow and maintain their own algae field. It is their main food source and is also important for the female Damsel. They lay their eggs in the algae fields. If there is too much algae around the stems of tabulated corals, they snap off.
We are currently researching the real impact of sharks on healthy coral growth and marine ecosystem health as a whole. We are doing this by combining marine field work with A.I.; Inference Based Machine Learning, to be precise.
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
There is more that needs be done to restore our Oceans besides protecting sharks. By creating community driven M.P.A.’s (marine protected areas), locals can regrow fish populations and other vital marine life such as lobsters, mussels and clams, within a short period of time.
Protecting the hatcheries within these reef sanctuaries and reintroducing apex predators as well as restoring the reef with climate change adapted corals is the key to the success.
We have developed programs that local fishing communities can use, without the need of expensive funding. Everything needed can be locally sourced and implemented by the communities.
CORAL REEF RESTORATION
Corals are under stress because of rising sea temperatures due to climate change. This leads to coral bleaching, which is killing off the corals.
We are working together with experts in the field of coral reef monitoring, coral husbandry and coral reef restoration to reverse these effects.
Scientists are searching for more heat resistant corals, which can then be planted on a larger scale on dying reefs, where the temperatures are too high for ordinary corals to survive. This helps to restore the balance of the reef and making the corals climate change adapted.
If you have a resort with a damaged or dying house reef we can help you to restore it. Contact us for more details.
