Coral Reefs: A Reef Resilience Toolkit Module

Coral Nurseries

A prerequisite for reef restoration, at all but the smallest scale, is the establishment of coral nurseries that can supply large numbers (tens of thousands) of corals of a size that can survive and grow at the site to be rehabilitated.

Farming Acropora cervicornis in Utila, Honduras. This methodology involves attaching fragments with a small loop of fishing line to make retrieva easy for outplanting. Photo © Lisa Carne/Marine Photobank

Critical components to consider for a nursery include:

• nursery design
• substrates used for coral colony mariculture
• realistic numbers and densities of colonies that can be maintained
• duration of the nursery phase
• growth rates and survival of farmed colonies

Several types of coral nurseries exist, varying in structure, size and purpose. The two major types are:

1. ex situ nurseries, which are located on land (expensive and largely for the specialist, such as those culturing corals to supply the aquarium trade)
2. in situ nurseries that are located in the ocean

There is much to consider in nursery establishment and maintenance, beyond the scope of this Toolkit. Guidance can be obtained from the Reef Rehabilitation Manual which provides detailed information on:

• How to choose a site for a nursery
• How to construct a nursery for asexual rearing of corals
• Issues to consider when stocking a nursery with corals
• Methods for maintenance of a nursery and corals