Marine life carries a major key role in our lives. And taking measures like banning single-use plastic and saving marine flora and fauna is crucial. As we know many cities are taking initiatives to reduce or completely eliminate the use of plastic to save our oceans. On the other hand, Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Hong Kong-based company, Archireef has taken up a new reef rehab project.
Abu Dhabi’s Coral Reef Rehabilitation Project At Um Khorah Island
To rebuild coral reefs off the coast of the UAE, Abu Dhabi has used a number of custom-built, 3D-printed terracotta tiles. A group of nautical biologists and architects created the tiles for ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding business, and the environment authority in Abu Dhabi. These were made by the environmental technology company Archireef using specialised 3D clay printing.
In Abu Dhabi’s KEZAD economic zone, Archireef, a Hong Kong-based company, produced the tiles. The clay-based reef constructions, as compared to different kinds of artificial reefs, are environmentally conscious and precisely designed to imitate the natural pattern of corals. Also, they avoid sediment accumulation, which poses a serious risk to corals. This makes it a sustainable option.
At Al Dhafra Area of Abu Dhabi, a strictly protected area close to Um Khorah Island was chosen as the out-plantation site in collaboration with EAD. Some 1,200 coral fragments developed in dedicated facilities owned by EAD are housed in the reef tiles’ 40 square metres. Throughout a five-day period, a group of seven underwater divers installed the tile. Now that the site is being continuously watched over, data on the effectiveness of the corals will be gathered. This includes regular photo updates to document the growth of fishery resources.
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Did You Know?
As a result of widespread coral bleaching brought on by rising sea temperatures in 2017, Abu Dhabi lost 73% of its reefs.
Since 2005, a programme run by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi has been in place to track and manage the condition of coral reefs via annual surveys, collecting information from 10 stations located throughout the emirate.
In Abu Dhabi, coral reef conditions have improved between 10% and 18% in the last year, according to the most recent data.
Cover Image Courtesy: Archireef