Largest Coral Conservation Initiative in the World Rolled Out in Soneva Fushi
Sunday 31st of October 2021
Soneva embarks on an ambitious journey to create Maldives’ largest coral hub onsite Soneva Fushi.
In partnership with Soneva Foundation, the Swiss environmental organisation Coralive and the global ecosystem restoration organisation Ark2030, the project is designed to protect and regenerate coral reef systems that have been decimated by climate change, notably the rise of sea temperatures, ocean acidification, El Niño events and ocean pollution.
The ultimate aim of the programme is to regenerate the reef back to the state in which it existed 25 years ago, covering out-planted corals across 40 hectares over the next decade.
Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Reserve in the Maldives, an ideal location to kick off this largest conservation initiative of its kind in the world. It is home to a biodiverse ecosystem housing marine life and providing livelihood for its island communities.
“We can’t bet our future on a wish and a prayer that the big countries decarbonise their economies in time to halt climate change before it wipes out our coral reefs. We need a back-up plan.” states Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Founder of Soneva.
Planned to expand to 1 hectare in size, the scale is believed to make a meaningful impact. This project will also put Maldives on the global map as a potential leader in fighting the climate change, opening up for international investment in the future.
Soneva Fushi aims to make the site a coral restoration and knowledge hub for the Maldives and beyond in the long run. The restoration program will set the pathway ahead for a resilient restoration of coral habitats and make the marine ecosystem of Baa Atoll unique environment further resilient.
At Soneva Fushi, the nursery will be cultivated from ‘corals of opportunity’ – rather than being harvested, these are corals that have been broken or damaged due to storms, waves or human activity.
For the first two years, a comprehensive study to define the most suitable methodology for the project will be carried out. Afterwards, the site will become the largest Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT) coral nursery in the world. Once fully operational, the nursery will cover one hectare of ocean and propagate 50,000 coral fragments every year.
The restoration site at Soneva Fushi will be constantly monitored via an Aqualink Smart Buoy, which records temperatures at both the surface and the ocean floor, with all data accessible through the cloud.
As the project progresses, guests at Soneva Fushi will be invited to join in the restoration efforts themselves – a unique opportunity to be part of this ground-breaking project.