KAUST Coral Reef Restoration Program monitors coral spread on Shusha Island, NEOM

The Shusha Island Coral Reef Restoration Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has successfully launched its field pilot phase in the Red Sea of ​​Saudi Arabia, an important step towards achieving its ambition to become the world’s largest coral reef restoration program. Coral reefs are vital to the health of our oceans and millions of people depend on them for their survival. However, they are greatly impacted by ocean warming and related environmental stressors around the world, which requires effective collaborative strategies to enhance their resilience and prevent their deterioration.

In this context, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s Coral Reef Restoration Initiative (KRRI) is making groundbreaking efforts to protect 100 hectares of coral reefs in the Red Sea and promote their proliferation and restoration. In addition to using innovative technologies for coral production, environmental monitoring and determining the topography of coral reef sites, it also utilizes the latest floating and land-based coral propagation nurseries. The initiative aims to be the largest coral reef revitalization and restoration project of its kind in the world.

After months of planning and baseline assessments, work to restore the reefs of Shusha Island, off the coast of NEOM, began in March 2023. Within the first month, the program propagated nearly 5,000 corals from 12 key species, nearly halfway toward its annual target for 2023. To maximize productivity, the program also studied seven advanced coral propagation techniques and five different coral nursery designs. It is expected to produce 500,000 corals per year, all of which will be used to restore and maintain the diverse coral reef habitats of the Red Sea.

It is worth noting that the current May 5th marked another milestone for the project. The research team observed the first simultaneous large-scale reproduction of corals in the region, including dozens of different species. This provided an opportunity to obtain important information about the coral reproduction season, which will guide the project’s efforts to determine the amount of coral material produced during the breeding season to increase the amount of coral reef revitalization. The main focus of the onshore nursery will be to improve the survival rate of young corals captured during the breeding season, as well as the large-scale production of micro-coral fragments to accelerate the growth of coral tissue.

“Deploying floating nurseries in the ocean, collecting and propagating corals during the pilot phase, and setting a timeline for the coral breeding season in the northern Red Sea demonstrates the unique capabilities and full commitment of the program,” said Tom Moore, Project Manager for the Coral Reef Restoration Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Shusha Island, who is working to implement the project on Shusha Island and beyond.”

The initiative is a multidisciplinary collaborative effort involving scientists, engineers, policymakers, and local communities, and leverages the latest advances in science, technology, and innovation to develop effective restoration strategies that can be scaled up and replicated elsewhere in the future. Through this work, the KAUST Coral Reef Restoration Program seeks to serve as a model for other countries and institutions, and to contribute to pioneering and innovative approaches to coral restoration and conservation around the world.

“The dedication, passion and commitment of our team are key drivers that will help us achieve our ambitious goal of restoring 100 hectares of coral reef near Shusha Island and beyond,” said Jerry Thomas, chief strategy and operations officer for KAUST’s Coral Reef Restoration Initiative.

The KAUST Coral Reef Revitalization Program is in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to transform its economy and society by promoting sustainable development and protecting natural resources, including restoring important marine ecosystems. This initiative also demonstrates the Kingdom’s seriousness and great commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 14, which emphasizes the importance of conserving the oceans, seas and marine resources and using them sustainably.