Jamaica’s Coral Gardens give new hope for dying reefs

By Michelle Nurse On Jul 27, 2015

A total of 60 fragments from five species of corals have been placed on the trees in the coral nursery. Photo Credit: Andrew Ross via Inter Press Service) — Sixty fragments from five species of corals have been placed on the trees in the coral nursery. Photo Credit: Andrew Ross via Inter Press Service)

KINGSTON (IPS) – With time running out for Jamaica’s coral reefs, local marine scientists are taking things into their own hands, rebuilding the island’s reefs and coastal defences one tiny fragment at a time – a step authorities say is critical to the country’s climate change and disaster mitigation plans.

Five years ago, local hoteliers turned to experimental coral gardening in a desperate bid to improve their diving attractions, protect their properties from frequent storms surges and arrest beach erosion.

n 2014, their efforts were boosted when the Centre for Marine Science (CMS) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona scored a 350,000-dollar grant from the International Development Bank (IDB) for the Coral Reef Restoration Project.