GCRA Presentation 2005 1

Global Coral Reef AllianceA non-profit corporation dedicated to growing, protecting and managing the most threatened of all marine ecosystems —Coral Reefs: 

Global Coral Reef Alliance A non-profit corporation dedicated to growing, protecting and managing the most threatened of all marine ecosystems —Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs – Support, Nurture, Protect, Provide: 

Coral Reefs – Support, Nurture, Protect, Provide

Reefs are dying all over the world: 

Reefs are dying all over the world

Today, 65% of the worlds reefs are dying (US Coral Reef Task Force, NOAA): 

Today, 65% of the worlds reefs are dying (US Coral Reef Task Force, NOAA)

Why are reefs dying?: 

Why are reefs dying? Rising water temperatures Sewage flows Eutrophication Disease Dredging Dynamite Cyanide fishing Bleaching Physical damage

Consider Cancun: 

Consider Cancun Only 12 families lived on this forested island until the 1970s Then the tourist industry arrived Today, 2.6 million people visit Cancun each year The island is bare, its forests long gone Sewage facilities process only one-quarter of the daily flow The rest goes straight into the sea

Reefs are often covered with algae : 

Reefs are often covered with algae

Algae comes in green, brown and redBay Islands, Honduras, 2000: 

Algae comes in green, brown and red Bay Islands, Honduras, 2000

It smothers and kills healthy coral: 

It smothers and kills healthy coral

Algae growth is often followed by Yellow-band disease: 

Algae growth is often followed by Yellow-band disease

Bleaching is usually caused by rising ocean temperatures: 

Bleaching is usually caused by rising ocean temperatures

Tissue is visible in the absence of symbiotic algae : 

Tissue is visible in the absence of symbiotic algae

Corals worldwide suffer from bleachingBonaire, 2001: 

Corals worldwide suffer from bleaching Bonaire, 2001

BLEACHED CORALNEW GUINEA: 

BLEACHED CORAL NEW GUINEA

Physical damage is everywhereBay Islands, Honduras, 2003: 

Physical damage is everywhere Bay Islands, Honduras, 2003

Cyanide fishing kills coral: 

Cyanide fishing kills coral Healthy After cyanide exposure

Elkhorn and anchors don’t mix Bay Islands, Honduras, 2003: 

Elkhorn and anchors don’t mix Bay Islands, Honduras, 2003

When reefs die…: 

When reefs die… Fish populations disappear Fishermen lose their livelihood Beaches and shorelines wash away Land areas erode from waves Tourists find somewhere else to dive Local economies can be devastated

A solution for corals in peril: 

A solution for corals in peril Biorock™ Process

The Biorock™ ProcessCorals thrive. Even where water quality is poor: 

The Biorock™ Process Corals thrive. Even where water quality is poor

Biorock™/ Mineral Accretion : 

Biorock™/ Mineral Accretion On underwater, conductive structures we assemble a positively charged anode and a negatively charged cathode (structure) Apply a low voltage electric current between them Safe for swimmers Which causes minerals to crystallize from seawater onto structures Calcium carbonate, white limestone (CaCO3) is formed Similar to natural coral reefs and tropical white sand Corals adhere to limestone and grow quickly

How a Biorock™ Reef works: 

How a Biorock™ Reef works Cathode (-) Conductive Structure Anode (+) Solar collector or other power supply (CaCO3) When a positively charged anode and a negatively charged cathode are suspended in sea water with an electric current flowing between them, calcium ions combine with carbonate ions and adhere to the structure (cathode). The result is calcium carbonate. Corals adhere to CaCO3 and grow quickly. Coral Fragments

Rebar can be welded in any shape: 

Rebar can be welded in any shape

When the materials are fully assembled…: 

When the materials are fully assembled…

We float it into position: 

We float it into position

We attach the electric cables: 

We attach the electric cables

Calcium carbonate quickly forms on the structure: 

Calcium carbonate quickly forms on the structure

We make the frame ready for coral: 

We make the frame ready for coral

We wire naturally broken pieces of coral to the structure: 

We wire naturally broken pieces of coral to the structure

Coral fragments soon cover the frame: 

Coral fragments soon cover the frame

We monitor coral growth: 

We monitor coral growth

Barnacle Reef, Maldives, 1997: 

Barnacle Reef, Maldives, 1997

Barnacle Reef A year later, 1998: 

Barnacle Reef A year later, 1998

Barnacle Reef, 3 years growth: 

Barnacle Reef, 3 years growth

Corals are robust and healthy: 

Corals are robust and healthy

Fish populations move in: 

Fish populations move in

The new marine ecosystem is both balanced and healthy : 

The new marine ecosystem is both balanced and healthy

Biorock™ Reefs attract divers: 

Biorock™ Reefs attract divers

Biorock™ Reefs around the world: 

Biorock™ Reefs around the world Indonesia, Bali and Komodo Jamaica Maldives, Ihuru and Vabbinfaru Mexico, Yucatan Panama, San Blas Islands Papua New Guinea Saya de Malha Seychelles Thailand, Phuket Palau * * * * * * *

GCRA Projects have won international awards: 

GCRA Projects have won international awards The SKAL award for the best Underwater Ecotourism project worldwide. KONAS Indonesian National Award for best community-based coastal zone management Theodore Sperry Award, the top prize of the Society for Ecological Restoration Maldives Environment Award

Biorock™ Press: 

Biorock™ Press

GCRA projects: 

GCRA projects Build, restore and maintain coral reefs in communities worst affected by loss of reefs Build reefs for tourism Breakwaters for shore protection Mariculture—Oysters Consultation—Diseases, conservation, rehabilitation

Funding: 

Funding Small cash donations from private individuals and businesses Valuable in-kind donations from the communities with which the GCRA has worked. To date……. No Salaries are drawn from GCRA funding

Global Coral Reef Alliance Associates : 

Global Coral Reef Alliance Associates Jon Allen, GCRA Board of Directors, research engineer and instrumentation designer Yos Amerta, Bali programs Max Benjamin, Papua New Guinea programs Jude Bijoux, Seychelles programs James Cervino, Coral physiologist, field and laboratory analysis Dan andamp; Stefanie Clark, Florida programs Gabriel Despaigne, Panama programs Gerardo Garcia, Mexico programs Marina Goreau, Children's program Tom Goreau, GCRA President Azeez. A. Hakeem, Maldives programs Ray Hayes, GCRA Board of Advisors, coral health Wolf Hilbertz, Reef Restoration Jeff Houdret, GCRA Board of Advisors, marketing advisor, web issues Narayana, Bali programs Dr. Steven Orzack, GCRA Board of Directors, Director of the Fresh Pond Research Institute Niphon Phongsuwan, Thailand programs Cody Shwaiko, Komodo programs Roque Solis, Panama programs Dr. Robert K. Trench. Retired professor of biology at University of California at Santa Barbara Ernest Williams, GCRA Board of Directors, Coral diseases