Coral Farm Seychelles

OUR GOAL WITH THIS CAMPAIGN IS TO BUILD AND RUN THE VERY FIRST LARGE SCALE, LAND BASED CORAL FARM IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.

We want to build a coral farm situated on a tiny island in the Seychelles. The island is the world’s smallest national park and is surrounded by a protected marine park. We are working in partnership with a local NGO with 20 years’ experience in the region and also have the agreement and support of the land-owner and government.

By creating a land based coral farm, we can create and maintain the ideal growing conditions for the coral. Survival rates and growth rates are far higher using this method. Once the corals have reached maturity, we will plant them back in the reefs. 

(The island in the middle is where our coral farm will be located)

We aim to grow at least 10,000 corals each year and will use new techniques such as micro-fragmentation, which can dramatically increase growth rates.

Our coral farm will provide a regular, sustainable and significant source of coral for the local reefs.

We will run daily talks for free, for local school children and tourists.

Our farm will be available to academics and biologists, to carry out their research studies.  

My husband and I will be working on the coral farm on a full time and voluntary basis. Our two daughters will be attending the local school and will also act as youth ambassadors for the project.   

We would like this to be just the beginning. We aim to open additional coral farms in the region and the ultimate goal is to create a centre of excellence for coral conservation and restoration.


ABOUT US:


We are just an ordinary couple with two kids, living the same sort of busy lives that most others do - juggling work commitments and commuting into London, while also trying to carve out some family time. But we both felt the need to make a positive change for ourselves, our children and the world we had largely taken for granted. So we have sold our home, parted company with most of our worldly possessions and are making the change.

We have set up a UK Registered Charity called Coral Reef Conservation UK (charity number 1190950) and are raising the funds needed to build and run the coral farm.

 

CORAL REEFS ARE IN TROUBLE:

Recent studies show that up to 50% of coral reefs are already dead. It is projected that by 2050, 90% will be dead. The main reason for this is global warming which causes sea temperatures to rise and the coral effectively starves to death.

(Known as Coral Bleaching - this photo shows how the coral turns white as it starves to death due to rising sea temperatures)

Coral reefs matter because:

They absorb vast quantities of carbon dioxide (just as trees do on land)

They provide a habitat for 25% of all marine life

They absorb up to 97% of wave energy, making them the most effective barrier to prevent the erosion of our coastlines and beaches.   

They provide for the livelihoods for up to 1 billion people in the world.

 
WHAT WILL YOUR MONEY BE USED FOR:

Buying the tanks, pumps, filters and chillers and building the farm.

We will have two experienced employees from the local NGO working on our farm.

We will need to purchase a used boat to get to and from the island each day.

Daily operating expenses will include replacement parts and filters for the farm and fuel for the boat.

We are trying to raise £96,000 and this will enable us to do all the above and run the farm for the first 12 months.

 
WE ASK IF YOU CAN DO ONE OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING:

DONATE: Any donation large or small would be fantastic

SHARE: If you can help us publicise our project, we would be very grateful 


We hope you can help us make a difference. 

 

THANK YOU!  ;-)