Zoe : Artificial Reef Assessment + Coral Planting
(
Private sector
)
#OceanAction43755
Description
Zoe - A Living Sea Sculpture is a 15ft x 9ft x 6ft coral restoration project in Cozumel, Mexico using electrolysis through seawater to precipitate Calcium Carbonate onto a steel, DNA-inspired structure 12ft deep & 60m from shore. This project unites art, science, technology, and tourism to help regenerate corals and marine biodiversity in a highly degraded area due to storms, climate change, disease, and development. The inclusion of a livestreaming webcam brings the evolving reef project to viewers all around the world at zoecoral.com and Living Sea Sculpture Youtube Channel. Marine biologist, Solene Jonveaux, will lead a scientific evaluation of the project with these key goals and objectives: Goal- To contribute to the conservation and restoration of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef as part of the UNSDG14 and SDG17 targets. To assess and monitor coral, fish, and benthic species on Zoe and at a control site, to cultivate a sustainable artificial coral reef ecosystem on the structure, as well as to provide comparative data and suggestions on best coral restoration practices.
Objectives:To assess species richness and abundance of corals, other benthic organisms, and fish on Zoe after 4 years in the sea; To transplant fragments onto Zoe using various substrates and techniques to increase coral abundance by at least 20% after 2 years; To determine and compare growth and survival rate of corals and abundance and species richness of fish and benthic organisms on Zoe and at a control site for two years; To write recommendations on best restoration, monitoring, and transplantation practices and suggestions for further investigation on Zoe, in the Mesoamerican region, and globally. Methodology: Each coral colony will be identified according to location, orientation, depth. Abundance and species richness on Zoe will be calculated. All corals and sponges present on each zone will be identified using a species identification guide, photographed, and tagged with a number to be added to the database. The abundance of coral, sponges, fish and benthic organisms at t0 (time of first assessment on Zoe) will be determined by counting # of individuals of each species. Fish abundance will be determined by two techniques: 1) Swimming in concentric circles of 2 meters around Zoe during 5 min, recording and enumerating all species present. A second rotation will be made at a closer range to identify smaller species (modified from Thanner, 2006). 2)Recordings of the livestream video from the webcam will be watched to estimate previous abundance. Transects will be realized in the area near Zoe in search of opportunity fragments. Identification of the fragments origin, location, depth, size, and weight will be noted and incorporated in the database. Coral species to be used for micro-fragmentation will be selected during the project according to coral survival and location on Zoe. The microfrags will come from a monitored frag tank before transplantation onto Zoe. Discussion of working with INAPESCA, as well as potential for collaboration with Cozumel nurseries if possible at time of transplantation. With our findings we anticipate publishing a scientific paper.
Living Sea Sculpture (Private Sector), Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program (NGO), Sand Dollar Sports Dive Shop (Partner), CINVESTAV-Merida (Research Institute), Zoe Memorial Anderson Fund (Philanthropic Organization)
SDGS & Targets
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.1.1
(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density
14.2
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
14.2.1
Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas
14.3
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.3.1
14.4
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.4.1
14.5
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
14.5.1
14.6
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.6.1
Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
14.7
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
14.7.1
Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries
14.a
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
14.a.1
14.b
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
14.b.1
Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
14.c.1
Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.2 | By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans |
| 14.7 | By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism |
| 14.a | Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries |
Deliverables & Timeline
An augmentation of coral abundance by at least 20% after two years.
A complete and clear database of photos, measurements, and observations of coral and associated species monitored on Zoe during the two years of the project.
A report of growth rate and fish species richness comparison between Zoe and the control site with conclusions of best practices for coral monitoring, transplantation on Zoe.
A survival rate of at least 90% of all colonies on Zoe after two years.
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
| Title | Progress Status | Submitted |
|---|---|---|
| Zoe : Artificial Reef Assessment + Coral Planting - Thu, 03/24/2022 - 16:45 | On track |
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United States; International through the livestream webcam
Ocean Basins
Communities of Ocean Action
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Contact Information
Colleen Flanigan, Director - Founding Artist