The MSC Foundation hopes to expand its coral research efforts with the first phase of construction of its new Marine Conservation Centre at Ocean Cay just weeks away from completion.
The second phase of construction and outfitting of this center is scheduled for completion in April 2025, significantly accelerating restoration efforts under its Super Coral program at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, a Mission Blue Hope Spot in the Bahamas. The Marine Conservation Center will also include educational facilities to raise public awareness of the critical need to save coral reefs, as well as help the MSC Foundation expand the reach and impact of its community outreach efforts, a core element of the program
During a three-day expert workshop held aboard MSC Seashore at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the MSC Foundation established the framework for its 2030 Coral Conservation Roadmap, based on discussions with 20 national and international conservationists and other experts. The plan will represent a significant update to the MSC Foundation’s original roadmap for the Super Coral Programme, which was validated at an expert meeting held in Bimini, Bahamas, in 2019.
“I am proud of the progress made under the Super Coral Programme,” said Dr. David Smith, scientific director of the MSC Foundation advisory board.
“With renewed commitments emerging from three days of fruitful discussions with Bahamian stakeholders, partners and other experts, the opening of the research laboratory at the Marine Conservation Center will support the expansion of our coral nursery and transplant work, and serve the community as a hub for scientific and educational collaboration.”
Among the successes of the Super Coral Program to date:
- Identification of high thermal resistance in some genetic populations of corals.
- Development of techniques for cultivating corals in open water nurseries.
- Exploration of methods for transplanting hardy corals.
- 100% survival of nursery corals during the last marine heat wave of the summer.
The expert workshop
The MSC Foundation's expert workshop included representatives from the Bahamas Departments of Planning and Environmental Protection and Marine Resources, the Bahamas Institute of Agriculture and Marine Sciences (BAMSI), the Perry Institute of Marine Science, the University of The Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, the University of Miami, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the Dominican Institute of Marine Studies (FUNDEMAR), the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), IntelliReef (International Coral Reef Initiative), the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Mission Blue.
MSC Foundation Executive Director Daniela Picco commented: “This program demonstrates that we can have a lasting impact when communities, governments and philanthropic entities unite with shared goals.”
During the workshop, the group of experts highlighted marine science education as a critical component of the Super Coral Program. Since 2020, the MSC Foundation has been collaborating with Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami in Florida to support graduate students in developing research that will inform coral restoration efforts in Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
The workshop included the MSC Foundation's newest program partners, the University of The Bahamas and BAMSI. The agreements, finalized in July 2024, will provide scholarships and internships for Bahamian students, representing a crucial step toward regular knowledge and skills exchanges in marine research and conservation.
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