This follows the successful growing of corals at Pointe aux Sables, Trou aux Biches, Albion and two sites in the South East Marine Protected Area in Rodrigues.
“Mauritius received a fund of Rs 1.2 million from the Africa Climate Change Adaptation Program (AAP) for this project. We are now awaiting heavy rainfalls, so that we can start with the breeding of prawns,” said the minister of Fisheries Nicolas Von Mally.
He highlighted that the creation of coral farms and reef sanctuaries will help to replace the bleached corals in the reef and enhance the marine ecosystem, habitats and biodiversity.
It could also contribute to the development of a new export industry.
Commenting on the coral farming, Meera Koonjul, scientific researcher of the Albion Fisheries Centre said that this is done by fixing fragments of corals on plastic bottles which are then attached to a PVC plate.
“It is located at the bottom of the sea where the coral will grow naturally,” she said. According to her, in the long run, a sanctuary will be created.
“The coral will then act as a kind of artificial reef.
This process aims to rehabilitate the marine environment, because many of the corals were damaged due to a number of factors including the temperature rise and degradation of the marine environment,” she said.