The First Observation of Multispecies Coral Spawning in Cebu by ACIAR

On June 26-27, 2024, a historic event occurred on the reef of Gilutungan in Cebu: the first observation of multispecies coral spawning. Millions of eggs were collected and will be released after 5 days of larval culture for the coral larval enhancement experiments to restore the degraded reefs in Cordova and Lapu-Lapu City.

This is a major milestone for coral reef conservation in the Philippines. Coral reefs are vital ecosystems that provide food and shelter for countless marine species. They also protect coastlines from erosion. Unfortunately, coral reefs around the world are under threat from pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

The coral larval enhancement experiments are a promising new approach to restoring degraded reefs. By releasing millions of coral larvae, scientists hope to help these reefs recover and thrive.

We would like to thank ACIAR for allowing us to volunteer in this historical reef restoration in our Island. Thank you also to our co-volunteers and partners who made this milestone possible; from the Municipality of Cordova-Official, MDRRMO, Lapu-Lapu City Public Information Office, University of San Carlos, Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu.

From little larvae, big corals grow - ACIAR

Here are some works we've documented ^_^