Help Rebuild the Gulf of Mexico Barrier Reef

Dear Supporters, 

Start of 2020 and the Puerto Morelos team is in full conservation and restoration mode.  We have received 29 participants for the marine conservation program so far this quarter and are looking forward to receiving more participants the rest of the year. 

So far, our participants have been giving hands on collaboration on the tank and laboratory maintenance of 500 coral heads from 12 different species. Taking care of the young corals and helping them grow so they can be transplanted to reef nurseries.  Helping our partners in the coral restoration project from CRIP with 196.5 work hours.

But lab work is not the only thing we are doing in Puerto Morelos, our participants have been undergoing training on dive related topics to better their diving skills and become sustainable environmental aware divers. As well as learning reef monitoring methodology. This year we changed from the MBRS synoptic monitoring program methodology to the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment methodology. Our participants are now trained in identification of specific fish and invertebrate indicator species as well as the coral species. By doing these we are able to work together collecting data that our partners use to assess the health to the reed and make recommendations for the proper use and maintenance of this great ecosystem. 

Our participants have also given a hand making sure that our oceans and coasts are cleaner by undertaking weekly beach cleans.  So far collecting a total of 180 kg of diverse debris and separating it into recyclable and non-recyclable as well as in putting our debris collecting data online with our partners of Ocean Conservancy.

 In February the team also participated in a sand castle challenge. The idea behind this was to have a sandcastle competition in the beach using only natural materials obtained from the beach. This activity was carried on to create an environmental awareness of the debris on the beach for both tourists and locals who approached the activity but also as a fundraiser to collect funds for the coral restoration project of CRIP. 

One of our main partners in Mexico, The Healthy Reef Initiative, had this year’s presentation of the health of the Mesoamerican Reef System. The data collected by our team of participants and staff in 2019 was used to determine the health of this delicate ecosystem. Unfortunately, this year the health of the reef has deteriorated for the first time in 12 years.   Part of the GVI Puerto Morelos team assisted to the presentation of this report that included presentations by several specialists from the government and non-governmental organizations, who talked about the state of the reef and several actions being undertaken to protect, conserve and restore this ecosystem.

 The GVI team also got the opportunity for a more personal presentation from the communications officer of The Healthy Reef Initiative, Marisol Rueda Flores. She talked about the current threats for the Mesoamerican Reef System and what actions that organization and their partners, including us, were undertaking to mitigate this negative impacts.

We have continued to accomplish many of our goals in collaborating with our in-country partners in the main objective of the conservation of the some of the coral reefs communities of the Mesoamerican Reef System. This quarter being able to advance slowly but constantly toward our main goal of 265 thousand coral heads transplanted to the reef by the year 2022.  Starting the Caribbean King crab marine aquaculture program to restock the natural populations of these reef gardeners who gives such important service to the coral reef. Working toward the installation of another coral nursery in the ocean, this one to be under the sole responsibility of the GVI team, with guidance from the CRIP staff, for its maintenance and well keeping.

Also, we are currently working with our in country partners on being able to start a water quality monitoring program to be able to verify the water quality on the sites the corals are going to be relocated. 

And this year we are also looking forward to starting a shark tracking project, to gain more valuable information on the ecology of these great ocean predators.

 Through these actions we have been able to create a clear picture and conscience of the need to work on the conservation and restoration of this ecosystem. We are still a long way from our long term  objectives but with the generous help from our supporters and donors we can continue working to achieve this objective.

As always, all of this wonderful work couldn’t have been accomplished without the help of our supporters and supporters, a great shout out to you all!!! Thank you!!!

With Gratitude,

Mexico Marine