Over the last five decades mass mortality of corals and the physical impacts caused by storms and human activities (groundings, for example) have led to the production of massive amounts of coral rubble. Coral reef rubble is natural and many organisms make use of it as long as it is stable and doesn’t become a projectile. However, loose rubble covers vast coral reef areas, especially in reef lagoons, where natural recovery is unlikely due to the frequent movement of rubble and debris caused by high wave energy events such as tropical cyclones and groundswells. Rubble movement results in the loss of quality substrates for coral recruitment, loss of essential fish habitats, accelerating erosion, and further physical impacts on corals. When properly managed, Sea Ventures has always considered rubble as an ally in coral restoration projects.

 

The carbonate material can be aggregated using construction materials and techniques, providing an excellent alternative to projects that aim to create built structures in coral reefs such as artificial reefs using foreign materials (land rocks, large cement structures, etc.). Also, during a vessel grounding, generated rubble can be stabilized, leading to more robust compensatory mitigation. Once the rubble is stabilized we can attach at-risk corals collected in the surrounding areas, restoring the live coral cover and structural integrity. With our approach, we can manage priority rubble areas, bringing back in a few days a habitat that would take decades to recover.​