Spain

Since 2020, we are collaborating with the NGO Equilibrio Marino on the project called S.O.S. Corales in the Mediterranean Sea. The project takes place in the Special Conservation Area of the cliffs and seabed of Punta de la Mona, off the coast of the region of Granada in Spain, an area of high ecological value that was declared in 2015. Several species of cold-water corals can be found here, including the chandelier coral (Dendrophyllia ramea) and the orange coral (Astroides calycularis), two endangered species of which little was known until now.

The aim of this project is to recover the coral ecosystem in Punta de la Mona, and the advantages are manifold. Corals are the basis of the ecosystem because a majority of marine species, in one way or another, depend on them to reproduce, feed, and use it as their home… In fact, cold-water coral ecosystems can shelter up to 29 times more wildlife compared to areas without corals. Therefore, the recovery of corals is essential to keep a marine area with such rich biodiversity healthy.

Our mission will involve (on a continuous basis) seabed clean-ups, actions to restore the coral ecosystem, as well as awareness-raising programs for locals and tourists.

As a result of various aggressions, many coral colonies break or detach from their natural substrate, therefore finding themselves in danger without any possibility of growth. These fragments, called “fragments of opportunity”, are firstly collected by our team. If they are very damaged, they will be placed on underwater tables, that we call “nurseries”, allowing them to recover and grow in optimal conditions.