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restored coral reefs. (Marine National Park, Government of Gujarat)
“For the first time in the country, we have used biorock technology to protect coral reefs by building rock-like materials under the ocean. It uses low voltage electric current,” says R Senthil Kumaran, Deputy Forest Conservationist, MNP, Jamnagar
In the first such step for conservation, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), in conjunction with the Marine National Park (MNP) at Jamnagar in the Gujarat Forest Department, has successfully restored coral reefs using biorock or mineral accumulation technology in the Arabian Sea near Mithapur off the coast of Dwarka.
R Senthil Kumaran, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Marine National Park (MNP), Jamnagar, said, “A biorock structure was installed 1 nautical mile off the coast of Mithapur in the Gulf of Kutch in January 2020. Scientists have used solar panels for energy. We are constantly monitoring coral recovery And we found it to be successful.”
“For the first time in the country, we have used biorock technology to protect coral reefs by building rock-like materials under the ocean. It is a process in which a very low voltage electric current is applied through seawater. This causes crystalline salts of minerals dissolved in the water to precipitate. The precipitated crystals are Mostly in the form of calcium carbonate that builds a certain structure on the water floor, similar to a naturally-producing coral reef.The structure is called a biorock, which is strong, long-lasting and provides a suitable habitat for the corals, Kumaran told News18.
How it works
“Corals stick to biorock as they can grow much faster than they actually grow using their structure. This technology is used to build calcium carbonate structures in the sea to strengthen corals and allow delicate corals to grow without being compromised by the impact of pollution and global warming,” he added.
“Technology is also helping corals, including highly sensitive branching corals, to cope with the threats posed by global warming,” he added.
This technology works by passing a small amount of electrical current through electrodes in the water. When a positively charged anode and a negatively charged cathode are placed on the sea floor, with an electric current flowing between them, the calcium ions combine with the carbonate ions and stick to the structure (the cathode). This results in the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCo3). Coral larvae attach themselves to CaCO3 and grow rapidly. Biorock projects can be powered by a wide range of electrical sources including renewable energy such as windmills, photovoltaic solar panels and tidal current generators. This enables their construction in areas where traditional electric power is not available.”
Sea rain
Coral reefs are home to an amazing variety of organisms and are often called the ‘rainforests of the sea’.
India has four major coral reef areas which include the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Gulf of Kutch. He said coral reefs are threatened by acidification caused by climate change as well as by human factors such as overfishing and pollution.
The MNP has been declared the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the country. It is located in the southern part of the Gulf of Kutch and includes 42 islands with a unique marine ecosystem, covering a coastal area of 172 km in length from Okha in Devbhumi Dwarka district to Navlakhi in Morbi district.
At least 55 hard coral and 23 soft coral species have been recorded from the MNP regions to date.
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