Abstract Summary
Expedition Akumal, a community-led reef restoration project in Quintana Roo, Mexico, began in 2014 with the installation of coral nurseries of 35 fragments of Acropora cervicornis collected from the seafloor. Propagation of these fragments developed the nurseries at 2 sites with 350 coral fragments and over 500 transplanted onto the reef substrate. Transplantation showed 90% survival rates within the first 2 months, and an increase in both abundance and diversity of fish within the restoration sites. Experimenting with distinct transplantation protocols has shown mixed results, and motivated the development of novel techniques for out-planting corals. Partnership with Dr Anastazia Banaszak at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, led to the implementation of a coral spawning observation and gamete collection program, achieving the first recorded instance of coral spawning in Akumal in August 2017. The gametes collected were fertilised in our on-site temporary lab, with a high fertilisation rate (80%), producing approx. 3000 primary polyps. Collaboration is the key behind the longevity of the project, with stakeholders such as the local hotel and dive center providing logistical support for researchers and volunteer dive professionals to carry out the nursery work. Involving the local community in reef restoration has supported the integrity of the program, focussing on sustainable rejuvenation of the coral populations, rather than commercial targets. This also facilitates continuation of the restoration project by the Dive Center volunteers, reducing the reliance on small grants and funding. Additionally, the training we provide for dive instructors and snorkel guides benefits each individual’s professional development and has successfully integrated capacity building with community action, increasing ecosystem ownership and raising awareness. Our research direction for this year is incorporate micro-fragmentation using the nursery-reared corals and to increase the survival of juvenile corals generated from assisted fertilisation to diversify the genetics of our restored population. We continue to work with the local community and are planning to formalise training with certification for next year’s volunteers.
