Construction of Africa's first on-land regenerative coral aquaculture facility has begun.
Photo Credit: Hugo Brett
Nature Seychelles will build Africa's first regenerative coral aquaculture facility on Praslin Island, Seychelles’ second-largest island, with the financial support of the Adaptation Fund through UNDP and the Government of Seychelles, the global shipping and logistics company CMA CGM, and the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT).
The construction process has been led by coral restoration expert Dr David Vaughan, hired by Nature Seychelles. Vaughan has used micro-fragmentation to create the facility's technical design.
As Nature Seychelles explains in a press release, micro-fragmentation breaks corals into small pieces, which are cultivated under optimal conditions and will grow faster. This will complement the ocean-based nurseries already in use.
Also, the facility will have solar panels and the management will work with the Public Utilities Company to determine details and characteristics of the rooftop photovoltaic (PV) array that would be installed.
"The construction of this facility is momentous for Seychelles and Africa as a whole. It will not only serve as a model for coral aquaculture but will also provide valuable insights into innovative approaches to combating climate change impacts for the region," explained Dr Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles Chief Executive.
