Off the shores of Hatamin Island, Coral Guardian is leading an inspiring effort to revive coral reefs, bringing science, community and conservation together to heal marine ecosystems.
Launched in 2015, the restoration work is focused on Hatamin Island, close to Komodo National Park. It began in partnership with local NGO WES and was pivotal in securing Marine Protected Area status for the region in 2019.
Years of dynamite fishing and overharvesting disrupted delicate food chains and severely damaged reef habitats. Rebuilding these reefs supports marine biodiversity and safeguards the livelihoods of communities that still depend on them.
A team of eight full‑time local workers, many former fishermen, follow a month‑by‑month schedule of reef restoration, awareness‑raising, scientific monitoring and protection patrols. A set of six robust indicators—including coral growth rate, mortality, bleaching and biodiversity return—is tracked to measure reef health and fishing recovery.
Over five years, more than 53,000 corals have been replanted; fish numbers in restored zones are now approximately thirty times higher than before; 1.2 hectares of protected reef are flourishing, and around thirty new jobs have been created for local fishers and transplant specialists.
Early efforts involved gathering broken-but-viable coral fragments from the seabed and attaching them to sturdy metal frames. Over time, these frames matured into living nurseries, producing fragments resilient to climate stress for future transplantation.
A monthly interview program documents fishermen’s habits, guiding sustainable fishing and resource use. Reef monitoring is also building capacity for the local team to manage future efforts independently.
The initiative demonstrates how community-led conservation, rooted in science and local involvement, can transform degraded reefs into thriving ecosystems. This model—uniting restoration, awareness, protection and capacity building—represents a hopeful example for revitalising coral-rich regions around the world.