[Coral-List] Coral Reef Restoration with Fragmentation

[Fabrice Poiraud-Lambert]

Thanks Todd.

I must admit that the list of a "huge number of differences which must be 
factored in when doing open ocean work" is exactly what I'm looking for :-))

We perfectly know how to propagate, handle and fix frags. So, the differences 
might be linked to things like : 
- currents
- depth
- general health conditions of the candidate reef (of course)
- ...

And of course more thicky things like : 
- the right mix of species used
- initial coverage targeted
- conditions at the mother colonies place (if not frags)to ease adaptation
- Substrate status (sand/rubble/clean or not clean rocks/...)
- ...

I heard and seen good experiences, and bad ones, but it's quit difficult to 
compare skills of people who tried, how they did it, and why it was good or 
bad. Looks like to be a "secret", with very few documentation to built on.

That would be great if a Coral Reef Restoration Expert would accept to coach 
our projects or if there was a global work done to provide the rules and good 
practices to those willing to act. 

I fully agree that this kind of job should not be done without having a good 
knowledge of things that should and shouldn't be done. In the other hand, there 
are not enough "experts" on this planet to help all the broken reefs, and I've 
seen some wonderfull reefs been killed in a short time (by a storm for example)
only because nobody was aware about what to do and how with broken coral lying 
in the sand.

I know that some considere that a broken colony can make a good place to hide 
for fish and other animals and should then stay where it is.

I know that some think that reef restoration should not be done at all, because 
Nature will do the job. And it's clear that many others are doing it, even 
starting from stratch (and becoming experts after a while ;-))). Bad 
experiences depend also on their size/surface.

So, I feel strange : what is really the worse/best ? To say nothing (except 
during special and potentially expensive trainings that few will follow) ? or 
to explain and document most good and bad practices, in order to help people 
trying by themselves to succeed ?

What do you all think about this ?

(I have nothing against training, if we can afford it ;-))
Kind Regards
Fabrice
reefkeepers.net


Selon Todd Barber <reefball at reefball.com>:

> We have some coral transplant notes at www.artificialreefs.org
> However, the real training is documented in our training manuals and our
> training classes.  We have found it to be irresposible to share this
> technology only on the web as there is too much of a chance of abuse (and
> therefore death of corals or inapproprate restoration work).  Aquarium work
> certainly has contributed a great deal of expertise to the art and science
> of coral reef restoration, but there are a huge number of differences which
> must be factored in when doing open ocean work. We do NOT recommend you
> attempt restoration work with supervision or training from an experianced
> coral restoration expert.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Todd Barber
> Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation, Inc.
> President, Reef Ball Development Group, Ltd.
> 6916 22nd Street West
> Bradenton, FL 34207
> 941-752-0169 (Office)
> 941-752-1033 (Fax)
> 941-752-0338 (Personal)
> 941-720-7549 (Cell when traveling)
> 
> reefball at reefball.com
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <fpl10 at free.fr>
> To: <Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 3:21 AM
> Subject: [Coral-List] Coral Reef Restoration with Fragmentation
> 
> 
> > Dear All,
> >
> > Looks like some of you have a practical experience of Coral Reef
> restoration
> > using coral fragmentation. Is there some web pages where your
> experience(s) has
> > been described ?
> >
> > After years of coral propagation in aquariums, we are willing to use our
> diving
> > and propagation skills in Nature to restore some reefs we know, but we
> would
> > like to avoid all possible identified mistakes linked to such activity in
> > Nature.
> >
> > Thanks for any feedback and advices
> > Best Regards
> > Fabrice Poiraud-Lambert
> > Reefkeepers.net - President
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> 
> 



Cordialement - Best Regards
Fabrice Poiraud-Lambert
ReefKeepers.net - President

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