FISHERIES MINISTRY EXPANDS CORAL FARMING
The Africa Climate Change Adaption Programme is funding an effort undertaken by the Mauritius Ministry for Fisheries to expand coral farming in several areas of the island, aimed at the dual purpose to restore under water coral habitat as well as allow for commercial harvesting in years to come. An initial disbursement of 1.2 million Mauritius Rupees has been made already but more funding may be forthcoming subject to the success of the pilot programme now going underway.
Some of the natural coral reefs have been suffering of bleaching due to rising temperatures caused by climate change and shrinking reefs are often cited as an added cause for beach erosion and contributory factor for the loss of marine biodiversity.
Details obtained of the project suggest that coral fragments will be attached to used PVC bottles which in turn are affixed to a place anchored on the ocean floor, stimulating coral growth and eventually leading to fully grown coral reefs again in turn providing a new habitat for fish and other ocean creatures.
Mauritius is a major tourism destination in the Indian Ocean off the African mainland and famous for diving and deep see fishing.
