CORAL REEF REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN INDONESIA  

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are the nursery grounds of the oceans, provide critical food resources for tens of millions of people and buffer adjacent coastlines from wave action and erosion.

In Indonesia, 85% of coral reefs have been damaged beyond natural repair due to destructive fishing practices and coral mining. The destruction of these important habitats has led to a dramatic reduction in fish numbers and erosion of islands in Indonesia.

A coral reef rehabilitation project (Figure 1) ran by MARS was setup to restore the coral reef habitat as a basis for live fish, marine ornamentals and tourism markets as well as  restoring traditional food security and livelihood systems for the ongoing sustainable management of the oceans by local communities.  

This presentation talks through the method and successes of what we believe to be one of the largest coral reef restoration project in the world.