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one percent of the world’s ocean floor, they provide
living conditions for more than 25 percent of all
marine life. The reefs also provide natural coastal
protection, and coastal communities are economi-
cally dependent on them for fishing and tourism.

THANDA’S EFFORTS ARE PAYING OFF plantskola
Unfortunately, coral reefs worldwide are threa-
tened by human impact. Locally, by mass tourism,
destructive fishing methods and pollution. Globally,
by climate change. Increasing sea temperatures and
the acidification of the oceans mean big problems
for coral reefs. And the reefs at Shungimbili are no

“ Since 2016, species such as the Coral nursery.
large and impressive eagle rays
and giant groupers have returned buried in the sand. They get a good water flow which
to the reserve.” ensures that nutrients and food reach the corals.
At the same time, waste can be carried away by the
exception. You could say they have had to start from currents.
scratch. Devastating dynamite fishing and drag net-
ting left large sections of the reefs in a pile of rubble. It takes between six months and a year for the
Since it became a marine nature reserve in 2007, the coral fragments to grow to a size where they are
reefs have had the opportunity to recover. But corals ready to be planted on the reefs.
grow slowly, and it therefore takes an extra-long
time for them to grow large and spread. But things The first coral nursery at Shungimbili started in
are progressing, and coral colonies are starting to July 2018, testing two types of nursery structu-
re-form, and new corals have established themselves res: tables and trees. The test turned out well and
on the reefs. paved the way for an expansion of the project. In
late summer 2021, two new nurseries were esta-
Thanda Island puts a lot of resources into the blished on rope structures in collaboration with
active restoration of the reefs around Shungimbili. the The Ropes of Hope, an NGO based on Mafia
And to help nature along, Thanda has, among other Island. Today, there are two rope nurseries, six tree
things, started a project to grow coral fragments in
underwater nurseries, which are then placed on the Healthy coral.
reefs when they have grown enough. Coral frag-
ments that have been broken off and are lying on the
seabed are collected and placed in the coral nursery
where they remain until they are large enough to be
planted back out onto the reefs.

In the nurseries, the small corals have optimal
growing conditions. Here they are kept elevated
from the seabed so that they do not risk being