THE Sculptural CORAL GENE BANK AT VOMO ISLAND
VOMO ISLAND, a jewel of Fiji situated in the Mamanuca Islands, now hosts a breathtaking Counting Coral Sculptural Coral Gene Bank. Submerged 18 FEET underwater, and spanning 60 FEET ACROSS, this stunning living art piece nurtures OVER 370 CORALS, safeguarding the future of the island and community's coral reefs.
The Counting Coral Gene Bank is a distinctive, meticulously crafted sculptural park, tailor-made for Vomo Island and its reefs. Designed and produced in Los Angeles, California, the creation of this park spanned over six months. This unique park features SEVEN, 15-FOOT MODULES and 6 FISH HOUSES, all constructed from MARINE-GRADE STAINLESS STEEL.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
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Preserves the biodiversity and genetic diversity of Vomo’s coral reefs, safeguarding against a future dominated by mono-cultures or, worse yet, complete degradation.
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Operates as a continuous conveyor belt system for cultivating coral, enabling the replanting and regrowth of reefs using the gene bank, and secondary nurseries.
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Stands as a unique form of conservation— a breathtaking underwater living artwork that captivates tourists at Vomo, fosters their participation in coral restoration, and serves as an effective and meaningful marketing tool for the resort to promote.
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Transforms into an artificial reef, creating new habitats for marine life, easing pressure on natural reefs by redirecting tourists and divers, and serving as a foundation for further growth beyond the initially planted coral.
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Generates local employment opportunities to manage the gene bank, alongside educating the community and fostering local stakeholders.
Visit the Vomo Island Resort website to discover the island experience, and for more details about their commitment to coral conservation.
Q&A:
Q: What are the sculptures MADE OF?
A: Every element, from the structures to the attachment wire is made from marine-grade stainless steel, a material renowned for its stability underwater—it neither leaches nor corrodes, making it the safest option for underwater use. Counting Coral uses this
material for all of their installations.
Q: How was the park transported to Vomo?
A: The sculptures underwent months of design and manufacturing before being shipped from Long Beach, CA to Fiji's Lautoka Harbor, a journey taking 3-4 weeks overseas. From there, our team transports them via a smaller boat directly to the island.
Q: What was the installation timeline at vomo?
A: Installing the sculptures for the Vomo Project took approximately three weeks, followed by another two weeks to plant the coral. In total, the Counting Coral team spent between 4-5 weeks on-site, with a team of 4-6 members.
Q: Why don't we plant coral in shallow water?
A: Counting Coral’s sculptures and coral planting occur between 12-20 feet under the surface, primarily because the water tends to be cooler at this depth. Corals in shallow waters are more vulnerable to bleaching, both in natural settings and restoration projects. Global studies indicate that ocean temperatures are unlikely to decrease anytime soon and are expected to rise. While we cannot control ocean temperatures, we can choose where to place the corals to maximize their health and resilience. Since we aim not to harvest corals only for them to die, we choose deeper, cooler waters for planting. This depth provides the corals a better chance to withstand bleaching events. The corals we use for our sculptures are sourced from the same depths at which they will be replanted, ensuring a consistent environment for their acclimation and growth.
Q: What are 'secondary nurseries'?
A: Secondary nurseries are smaller, artistically designed structures by Counting Coral, where coral fragments from the 'parent corals' are nurtured until they are robust enough to be transplanted back onto the reef.
Q: What are 'parent corals'?
A: Parent corals are robust specimens kept in the gene bank, chosen for their resilience.
They attach to the sculptures and remain as part of the permanent installation, continuously monitored and used as sources for fragments that populate secondary nurseries.
Q: How is the location selected?
A: We choose flat, sandy locations, to ensure the sculptures can be staked onto the seafloor. We choose a location close to existing reefs to facilitate natural marine processes like fish migration and coral spawning between the sculpture and the reef.
Have your own question?
Q: How is the sculpture maintained?
A: The initial months require diligent maintenance to prevent algae from suffocating the growing corals. The Vomo team performs weekly cleaning of the stainless steel and corals.
As the ecosystem establishes, less frequent maintenance is required - but monitoring of the gene bank will be permanent.
Q: What if the corals on the Gene Bank die?
A: We select durable corals to plant onto the sculpture, but if they die, they're deemed
non-resilient and replaced to ensure ongoing robustness in our 'parent coral' stock.
Q: How do we ensure the sculpture's stability?
A: The sculptures are designed to dynamically interact with water currents and are secured to the seafloor using stakes and specialized underwater equipment to ensure stability.
Q: What is 'Coral of Opportunity' or 'Opportunistic Coral'?
A: This term refers to coral that has been damaged, broken, and no longer attached to the reef, but still has live parts. These corals, often distressed by physical impacts or environmental factors, are relocated to our structures, giving them a chance to recover
and thrive.
Q: WhEN DO THE SECONDARY NURSERIES GET INSTALLED?
A: The secondary nurseries are installed a year after the sculptural coral gene bank has been established - Vomo is scheduled to receive their secondary nursery in March 2025. Initially, these nurseries are left in the ocean without coral for a certain period to allow them to encrust with ocean elements making the environment more conducive for the coral's transition. The timing for fragmenting the parent corals depends on their growth rate on the gene bank.
Q: Why is marine-grade stainless steel the material of choice?
A: Counting Coral avoids using materials like plastic, rope, string, or cement, which harms reefs and marine life. While many conservation techniques are effective for planting coral, they often have adverse effects on the reef, such as corrosion, micro-plastic pollution, and chemical leaching, which contradict our principles. Marine-grade stainless steel not only aligns with our environmental commitments but also proves highly effective for coral attachment, allowing coral to grow on and over it swiftly and easily.