Cancún’s Coral Reef Restoration Program: 20,000+ Colonies Transplanted

Cancún's coral reef restoration program, spearheaded by Oceanus, has achieved notable success. The program, in partnership with various environmental organizations and the Association of Hotels of Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, has positioned itself among 56 projects from 20 countries participating in the Sustainable Tourism Awards by Skål International in the Land and Maritime Biodiversity category.

From September 2022 to September 2023, the program successfully transplanted 13,916 coral colonies across 16 sites in the Mexican Caribbean. Additionally, 8,500 colonies were transplanted at two locations in the Gulf of Mexico. The restoration sites included Punta Nizuc, El Bajito, and Puerto Morelos.

The program employed a variety of restoration techniques such as the bulb technique, Reef Stars structures, and microfragments. In collaboration with UNAM, the program also worked on substrates with sexual recruits.

The efforts have resulted in a positive impact on the recovery of acropora genus populations. The growth of the colonies and the restoration of coral coverage are promising signs of successful reef restoration.