With Phase One of Ocean Cay’s Marine Conservation Centre Near Completion, MSC Foundation Mobilises Experts to Chart 2030 Roadmap for Coral Conservation in The Bahamas

Friday, Oct 18, 2024 0

The MSC Foundation looks forward to expanding its coral research efforts, with the first construction phase of its new Marine Conservation Centre at Ocean Cay just weeks from completion. This flagship endeavour, centres around a thriving coral nursery with fragments growing from five distinct species and 13 genotypes of reef-building coral.

Phase Two of the construction and equipping of the state-of-the-art research facility is scheduled to be complete by April 2025 and will significantly accelerate restoration efforts under its Super Coral Programme at Ocean Cay — a Mission Blue Hope Spot in The Bahamas. The Marine Conservation Centre will also include educational facilities for raising public awareness surrounding the critical need to save coral reefs and help the Foundation scale up the reach and impact of its public engagement efforts – a core element of the programme.

During a three-day expert workshop held on board MSC Seashore and at Ocean Cay, the MSC Foundation set the frame for its 2030 Roadmap for Coral Conservation based on discussions with 20 national and international conservationists, and other experts. The plan will represent a significant update to the Foundation’s original Roadmap for the Super Coral Programme, which was validated at an expert meeting held in Bimini, The Bahamas, in 2019.

“I’m heartened by the progress made under the Super Coral Programme. We have identified high thermal resilience in some genetic populations of corals, developed techniques to grow corals in open-water nurseries, started to trial methods to outplant these corals and 100% of our nursery corals survived the last marine heatwave,” said Dr David Smith, Chief Scientific Officer of the MSC Foundation Advisory Board.

“With renewed commitments coming out of three days of fruitful discussions with Bahamian stakeholders, partners and other experts, the opening of the research lab at the Marine Conservation Centre will support the scale-up of our coral nursery and outplanting work, and serve the community as a hub of scientific collaboration and education.”

Since 2022, the Super Coral Programme has been focusing on identifying hardy species of coral, conducting research and propagating such types of coral species, mainly focusing on critically endangered elkhorn coral. The work builds upon MSC Cruises’ multi-year restoration of Ocean Cay’s marine ecosystem, which began when the company began redeveloping the former sand-mining site. The 64 square miles of waters around the island have since flourished and with the charted roadmap and the new Marine Conservation Centre, the programme is entering a promising new phase of development.

Among the Super Coral Programme’s successes to date:

Identifying high thermal resilience in some genetic populations of corals
Developing techniques to grow corals in open-water nurseries
Successfully exploring methods for outplanting resilient corals
100% survival of nursery corals during the last summer marine heatwave

About the Experts Workshop

The MSC Foundation experts workshop included representation from The Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning & Protection, The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources, The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), University of the Bahamas, Perry Institute for Marine Science, Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Dominicana de Estudios Marinos (FUNDEMAR), Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), IntelliReef, International Coral Reef Initiative, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Mission Blue.

Executive Director of the MSC Foundation Daniela Picco hailed the collaboration as a “model for long-term partnerships between the public, academic and private sectors.” She added, “This programme shows we can make a lasting impact when communities, governments, and philanthropic entities come together with shared objectives. Our Marine Conservation Centre will unveil the immense power of uniting the strengths of our Bahamian and Florida partners with other leading stakeholders, and the potential for a new model for ocean stewardship.”

During the workshop, the group of experts highlighted marine science education as a critical component of the Super Coral Programme. The MSC Foundation has worked with Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami in Florida since 2020 to support graduate students in developing research that informs coral restoration at Ocean Cay.

The workshop included the Foundation’s newest programme partners, University of The Bahamas and BAMSI. The agreements finalised in July 2024 will lead to scholarships and internships for Bahamian students, representing a crucial step towards regular exchanges of expertise and capacities in marine research and conservation.

“The Marine Conservation Centre is a beacon of hope and a powerful tool for enrichment, education and community engagement,” added Paul Lewis, Programme Director for the MSC Foundation in the Bahamas. “It’s not just about restoring coral, but about building understanding on a large scale on why coral reefs matter—how they protect our coastlines, support biodiversity, and contribute to the livelihoods of our people. The stage is set for a global case study in contemporary coral conservation.”

“Support from MSC Foundation for students at UB helps to fulfil our strategic vision for expanding programmes in areas of national need, and broadening research opportunities for our students,” said Dr Maria Woodside-Oriakhi, Provost and Vice President Academic Affairs, University of The Bahamas.

“This workshop reaffirmed that coral conservation is an environmental concern and a social and economic imperative. The future success of this programme depends on continually evolving our partnerships. The experts’ input will help us to outline ambitious targets for 2030, including large-scale public awareness campaigns aimed at cruise guests and visitors, informing them of the vital importance of conserving coral reefs in The Bahamas, the Caribbean and around the globe,” said Matthew McKinnon, Chairperson of the MSC Foundation Advisory Board.