Conservation of marine resources are facing many challenges among which is coral reef degradation resulting from unsustainable resource practices and coral bleaching. Coral restoration has been a means of rehabilitation of degraded reef in some Marine Protected Areas.
A coral reef restoration activity is currently being undertaken at Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park (TACMP) in Tanzania and is funded by the Blue Action Fund (BAF) project and implemented by WCS in collaboration with the Marine Cultures Organization from Zanzibar.
The restoration is carried out by staff from TACMP and community members who have been trained on coral restoration. The coral cultivation team considers biodiversity in the reforestation process by abiding Reforestation Guidelines of Coral Restoration Consortium (CRC) and Baums et al. 2019. The activity commenced in October 2024 by establishing a coral nursery.
Currently the coral nursery has 19 coral tables covering a total area of 30.4 square meters (1.6 square meters x 17 tables) has been established. A total of 2,856 of coral fragments were planted in the coral nursery. The nursery will expand to 20 coral tables and constitutes about 6,720 fragments in which after six months will be transplanted on damaged natural coral reef- and artificial reef- structures.