Development of a coral nursery as a sustainable resource for reef restoration in Abu Al Abyad Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Populations of once dominant reef building coral Acropora clathrata in Arabian Gulf is declining, mainly due to thermal bleaching and anthropogenic fac tors such as rapid urbanization, toxic wastes, destructive fishing practices, land reclamation and sedimentation. To actively restore coral populations, continuous supply of corals is required without causing damage to the existing reefs. In this study, as part of the coral gardening approach, mid water coral nurseries were constructed in Abu Al Abyad Island, United Arab Emirates following the coral tree nursery model. Six hundred fragments, with an aver age length of 6.32 cm (SD ±1.23 cm) of Acropora clath rata were mounted in the nursery and reared for 21 months while monitoring the health of the fragments continuously and estimating the growth rate and survivorship of the corals every three months. Only 9.8% of mortality was recorded in the entire study period, while a linear growth rate of 6.44 cm･year -1 (SD ±0.72) was achieved in the first 12 months and 9.25 cm･year -1 (SD ±0.63) in the re maining 9 months. Almost negligible mortality and satis factory growth of corals during the entire nursery period suggest that the coral tree nursery model is suitable for propagating A. clathrata in Arabian Gulf.

Marine ecosystem restoration and aquaculture-based stock enhancement for fishery resource conservation in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

“…However, there is very little such programme is underway in the Arabian Gulf. The only one such known programme currently being carried out is the restoration programme in Abu Al Abyad and Al Yasat islands, under the Private Department of the President of UAE [24].…”

“…In 2009 The AMSC started the coral restoration programme in Abu Al Abyad Island, Abu Dhabi. By the end of 2016, the Center had successfully cultured over 7500 corals in more than 150 nursery units with a mortality rate less than 5%, making it one of the largest coral nurseries in the Arabian Gulf [24]. These nursery grown corals (NGCs) were also transplanted to the degraded reef site as the final stage of the reef restoration and by the end of 2017, twenty thousand such NGCs were transplanted in an area of 0.3ha, making it one of the largest restoration program in Arabian Gulf (Figure 3).…”

Reintroduction of red mangrove Rhizophora mucronata in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

“…Mangrove forest exists along the fringe of the natural channels. Abu Al Abyad is characterized by dense bed of seagrass meadows and discontinuous distribution of coral reefs, particularly on the north of the island also exists [29]. Also, Ras Ghanada is characterized by vast seagrass meadows situated adjacent to the coral area.…”