Improving Coral Reef Restoration and Disease Mitigation in the Caribbean Through Local Capacity Building

Countries involved: USA, Australia, Honduras, Dominica, Mexico, Turks and Caicos

institutions: Ocean Research and Education Foundation/ AGRRA, MPAConnect/Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Roatan Marine Park, Dominica Local area management authority and Resilient Dominica, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Turks & Caicos

Coral Collective Partner:  CORDAP

In response to the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), a disease that is deadly to coral, this project addresses two key problems. Firstly, how to approach the dramatic and devastating loss of corals from SCTLD, especially in highly susceptible species that are at risk of functional extinction and which are not normally included in current restoration activities. Secondly, how to build the capacity of marine protected area managers to work on restoration of high risk Caribbean corals. The proposal brings together coral scientists, conservationists, and local managers throughout the Caribbean to build local coral restoration capacity and attempt to restore key reef areas in the face of this marine pandemic.