Coral Gardening in Fiji

Comment by Daniel Leuck on November 17, 2009 at 8:42pm

Wow - Fascinating stuff! I've heard of coral gardening, but never seen it in action.

Comment by Robert F. Kay on November 19, 2009 at 12:53am

Scott,

Fascinating video...vinaka for adding it. Are there any org websites dedicated to reef restoration?

Comment by Scott Putnam on November 23, 2009 at 6:09am

Rob and Scott,

More information on this coral project (in answer to Rob's question) can be found in the writer/director's comments, see: http://vimeo.com/5712168

This same video was transplanted into the show "Wild Pacific", episode "Fragile Paradise", which aired on APLHD on 7/13/2009. Since it was for an American audience, the British narration of the original was replaced with an American. Funny.

In Fiji, the center of coral/clam/turtle conservation can be found on Makogai Island - with some satellite conservation projects occurring on Castaway Island in the Mamanucas. There are no websites sponsored by the Fijian government (as of yet) that detail their various conservation projects; however, you will find sites by researchers and/or tourists. See:

http://www.stanford.edu/group/microdocs/growing.html
http://mesfiji.org/projects/clam-and-coral-restoration-project

The idea of replanting corals is starting to catch on in Fiji - taking broken pieces of coral found lying on the reef and fixing it into empty holes - with some dive masters, but it's certainly not a common practice. The idea originated in the aquarium trade, where broken small pieces of coral called "frags" are replanted on live rock. The results can be spectacular - although somewhat monotonous (aquarists use the same spectacular corals resulting in every tank looking the same).

A business in Fiji, which takes incorporates the coral gardening concepts featured in the video and grows out frags for the aquarium trade (aquacultured corals) is "Walt Smith International". The website can be found at:
http://www.waltsmith.com/about_us/fiji_station.html

Walt Smith International, Fiji station, is located in Lautoka (a few miles north of Nadi airport). If you find you have a few hours to kill during the day, this business offers tours (if arranged before arrival).

That's it for now -
Scott

Comment by Scott Putnam on January 28, 2010 at 5:51pm

Here's the official website for the coral gardening project featured in this video (it's on Moturiki in the Lomaiviti group of islands):

http://www.coralsforconservation.com

and they have another video to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iSVd0aWflw&feature=player_embedded

Comment by Austin Bowden-Kerby on July 13, 2010 at 11:41pm

Hi, yes, this video is of our Moturiki coral reef conservation site. National Geographic will be filming there in later this month. If interested in our approach see the C4C website. If you are serious about learning or doing more, we will be conducting traing for resort staff and others in coral gardening in the future. Cheers, Austin abowdenkerby@gmail.com

Comment by Robert F. Kay on July 14, 2010 at 7:06am

Bula Austin,

When Nat'l Geographic comes to your neighborhood please keep us posted. Maybe take a few shots and blog about it if you have the chance. This doesn't happen a lot in Fiji so it's big news as far as we're concerned. I think there would be a lot of interest in our Fijiguide community.

Comment by Austin Bowden-Kerby on August 12, 2010 at 12:51pm

The independent film crew working for National Geographic has come and gone... I helped them film our coral reef restoration projects at the Shangri-La's Fijian resort as well as the coral gardeners and coral conservation work and community in Moturiki. Lomaiviti. They are producing a full one hour show about Fiji that will be aired globally sometime mid next year. Will keppy you informed re dates adn times. Austin www.coralsforconservation.com

Comment by Robert F. Kay on August 12, 2010 at 11:55pm

Vinaka Austin. We all look forward to seeing. If you'd like to do a write up on your org, I can put it in the main body of Fijiguide.com. Would be cool if you could do a blog and explain what your org does and some inside stuff on the Nat'l Geo filming. Would be curious to know what the consensus is on the "state of the reef" in Fiji.

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