Last week, a beacon of hope shone from the Assisted Recovery of Corals (ARC) Facility, Nature Seychelles’ land-based coral aquaculture facility on Praslin. In a ground-breaking first, the NGO, teaming up with global experts from Coral Spawning International (CSI), successfully documented coral spawning in a controlled environment. This exciting milestone, where tens of coral colonies release thousands of gametes in a miniature fireworks display, represents a significant turning point in the battle for coral reef survival.
Coral spawning is one of nature’s most spectacular reproductive events. A couple of times each year, corals release their eggs and sperm into the water, called gametes, often influenced by the lunar cycle and other environmental cues. Fertilised eggs then develop into larvae that drift around before settling to create new coral colonies, the very backbone of entire reef ecosystems.
Recreating such conditions in a controlled, land-based environment is no mean feat, and the spawning was a piece of history in the making for all present.
Nature Seychelles has successfully documented coral spawning in a controlled environment at the Assisted Recovery of Corals Facility, Praslin Island
“Coral spawning seemed complex and unimaginable, considering a small number of people have actually witnessed it happen, especially here in Seychelles. Therefore, when the corals actually started to spawn, it looked like something surreal and magical,” said Priya Didon, the aquaculture officer at the facility.
“It was an incredible experience, considering that this event occurs only under the right conditions and some species spawn once a year,” said Luca Saponari, the Reef Rescuers senior science & technical field Officer. “Personally, this was a lifetime core memory that I will take with me, but also a fundamental milestone for our restoration project allowing us to move ahead to act more efficiently to help coral reefs.”
For years, Nature Seychelles has been successfully using asexual reproduction through fragmentation to grow corals for restoration. With financial support from Canon, the NGO established a coral spawning lab at ARC to incorporate sexual reproduction in its restoration efforts. The lab is poised to supercharge these efforts by generating thousands of genetically diverse, resilient offspring, key to advancing coral reef restoration beyond traditional reef gardening.
Dr Nirmal Shah, Chief Executive of Nature Seychelles, explains.
“We always knew we’d need to shift our strategy for coral reef restoration eventually. The successful spawning outside of their natural habitat marks a pivotal transition to sexual reproduction, which is the core of evolution,” he explains. “Nature is diverse. The more diverse the organisms, the better they can handle whatever challenges the environment throws their way.”
Strategic tech partnerships are crucial to make significant leaps in coral conservation, says Dr Shah
This moment was also a personal and professional milestone for the seasoned biologist. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing. Now we’re really getting into the nitty-gritty… figuring out how to boost coral reproductive rates, what types of corals we can breed, and so on,” he recalls. Being able to control and study this process outside of its natural habitat is essential for understanding how reefs can thrive, he asserts.
Dr Shah shared the plan for the newly created spawn: “We’re going to conduct experiments on how to seed the reef. If we can achieve that, we can really scale up restoration efforts.”
The creation of the lab was made possible through strategic tech partnerships, which Dr Shah says are crucial to make significant leaps in coral conservation.
Canon has donated imaging equipment to capture spawning in never seen before details
In addition to the lab, Canon has donated imaging equipment. Images captured with Canon equipment will play several crucial roles, he says.
These include documenting the process and intricate details to advance research and restoration, and offering compelling visuals to engage the public, partners, and policymakers and help people connect with the cause.
Looking ahead, Dr Shah acknowledges the recent research suggesting that coral reefs are “doomed” due to rising temperatures, but is determined not to give up. “We can still nurture resilient reefs,” he asserts. “There’s so much we still don’t know about these corals. I feel we can’t just throw in the towel like some scientists are suggesting.”
He sees the ARC facility not just as a local answer, but as a hub for global knowledge. “I really hope to see a future where we become a hub for global research on coral reefs.”