Advancing Regional Collaboration for Coral Reef Restoration

On Monday, 10th November, the Regional UNDP Coral Reef Restoration Project Management Team, comprising representatives from Mauritius and Rodrigues, visited Curieuse Island to assess ongoing restoration efforts within the Curieuse Marine Park.

The delegation toured coral restoration sites and monitoring facilities managed by the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), gaining first-hand insight into the project’s progress, challenges, and operational context.

Launched in 2020 with the support of the UNDP Adaptation Fund, the Coral Reef Restoration Project is significantly enhancing reef resilience across Curieuse. SPGA has successfully installed and maintained several coral nurseries, outplanted approximately 7,000 coral fragments to rehabilitate degraded reefs, and continues to monitor coral growth and environmental conditions. By testing innovative restoration methods—including bamboo frames, fishing nets, metal re-bars, fish traps, and reef stars—the project is identifying the most effective techniques for coral survival.

This official visit precedes the Project Regional Technical Meeting on 11th November and the Project Steering Committee Meeting on 12th November, under the initiative “Restoring Marine Ecosystem Services by Rehabilitating Coral Reefs to Meet a Changing Climate Future.” Such cross-country exchanges are vital to strengthening collaboration between Seychelles, Mauritius, and Rodrigues.

Speaking on behalf of the UNDP team, Project Leader Mr. Jean Lindsay Azie expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved, noting that they are “very pleased with the work done by SPGA.”