The Ministry of Environment inaugurated a coral nursery in Juan Dolio, in San Pedro de Macoris on Friday, 12 August 2022. The nursery serves the reef gardening strategy underway in the southeastern touristic area to help recovery the reefs in Juan Dolio and Guayacanes, so important for the quality of the beach.
Deputy Minister of Environment in charge of coastal and marine resources, José Ramón Reyes says that the initiative includes a chapter for the environmental education of the Juan Dolio and San Pedro de Macoris population, given the importance of the conservation of these marine environments and the threats that affect them. The initiative is in coordination with the IWECO RD-Higuamo project.
The coral reef nursery is located on the marine platform in front of the Guayacanes-Juan Dolio coast, at UTM coordinates 19Q 0456319E; 2036667N, in the area between the Coral Costa Caribe Spa Hotel, on the east side and the Presidential Recreation House.
Five “tree” or “coral tree nursery” structures were built and installed by technicians from the Deputy Ministry of Coastal and Marine Resources with PVC pipes and ropes.
In these trees 155 fragments of Acropora Cervicornes were placed. This type of structure was developed by the Coral Restoration Foundation to maximize the growth surface and take advantage of the three-dimensional space of the water column on the seabed, which has proven to be very effective in increasing growth compared to other types of structures, as well as reducing the risk of disease and damage from waves.
In addition to these structures, two domes with 254 fragments of Porites porites (finger coral) and a table with mini fragments of Acropora palmata were placed.
The Ministry of Environment explains in a press release that the coral restoration plan promotes the sustainability of natural resources, and especially of these marine species, belonging to the phylum of cnidarians, which live in symbiosis with algae (zooxanthellae).
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Ministry of Environment
17 August 2022