In a beach in Venezuela, a foundation and the government are working together to maintain coral farms on the seabed, with the aim of protecting the reefs from climate change.
In the San Esteban National Park, located on Santo Domingo Island in the Carabobo state, at least six species of stony corals are cultivated on underwater structures. This project seeks to mitigate the effects of global warming on the coral reefs.
Jesús Alvarado, director of the Marine Pillars Foundation, explains: “The corals are bleaching due to ecosystem diseases caused by acidification, when the sea absorbs carbon dioxide, and by warming. Those between 1 and 3 meters deep are the ones experiencing the change.”
The Marine Pillars Foundation, responsible for the rescue and maintenance of native corals, is supported by the Ministry of Ecosocialism to develop the coral farms, a project that started two years ago.
Coral farming to save the reefs
Small pieces of corals are placed on tree-shaped structures in 300 square meter areas on the seabed. Once the corals grow up to about 40 centimeters, they are replanted in reefs to aid in their rehabilitation, according to the foundation and the Ministry of Ecosocialism.
Up to 2024, 2,500 fragments of Porites corals have been planted, one of the most common in tropical oceans and seas, according to foundation data.
Yanet Villasana, a scientist at the foundation, emphasizes the importance of these efforts: “Corals, despite only covering 0.1% of the ocean surface, supply 10% of human beings’ diet. It is essential to contribute to preserving the 25% of the biodiversity living in the corals“.
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