First Spawning of Transplanted Coral Confirmed in Sekisei Lagoon

Copyright Ministry of the Environment

Naha Nature Conservation Office, the Ministry of the Environment announced on June 16, 2010, that it had confirmed the first spawning of a coral colony transplanted to Sekisei Lagoon which is located between Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands of Okinawa. The coral transplant project, involving the sexual reproduction of coral to restore damaged reefs has been carried out in the area.

The Sekisei Lagoon is one of the most extensive coral reef systems in Japan. But now that area is being disturbed by environmental effects. , MOE started a project in 2002 for researching called the Sekisei Lagoon Nature Restoration, and had started the coral transplant experiment involving processes of sexual reproduction in 2004. With this method, coral pieces for transplant are prepared without harming (e.g. breaking off) other coral. It can also maintain the spiecies diversity and the genetic diversity of the coral. Upon the results of the experiment, MOE began the project using this method in 2005. A total of 17,516 coral pieces (10 pieces per square meter) were transplanted from 2005 to 2009.

The spawning was observed at a six-year-old Acropora nasuta colony, measuring 15 cm in diameter. It was grown from eggs released in May 2004 and transplanted at Kuroshima in February 2006. At around 10:30 P.M. on May 7, 2010, an underwater camera installed at the site successfully captured the release of bundles (egg and sperm) from the colony.

New Technology Helping Restore Coral Reefs in Okinawa's Sekisei Lagoon (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029256.html
Japanese Coral Reefs Still at Risk: Increased Damage by Bleaching and Predatory Starfish (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025749.html

Posted: 2010/09/19 06:00:15 AM