Guide to help people to use the best way and technic for coral restoration.

1. HARD CORAL RESTORATION
TECHNICS
GUIDE OF METHOD AND EFFICIENCY
BY GREEN GUARDIANS Drafted by GUILLAUME LEBOUT

2. After several years to work on differents projects of coral restoration and observe lot of differents technics (Good or not) ,
we decided to study how to ameliorate them as such stop using plastic as material of restoration, how to optimize or stop
the differents technics…
• This guide has been compiled after 3 years of research between Bali (Indonesia) and Krabi (Thailand) by Guillaume Lebout
(Green Guardians) to study the efficiency and adaptability of different coral restoration technics.
• This guide is a tools to facilitate the access to the coral restoration of future areas giving good methods to success.
• It can be used by DNP, DMCR, UNIVERSITY, NGO and beginners in coral restoration.
• This guide is to optimize ecologic impact of coral restoration

3. WHY RESTORE CORAL REEF ?

4. decrease in the
abundance and
diversity of fish
and mollusks
death of others
marine organisms
increased surface
area available for
algal blooms
deterioration of
underwater
landscapes
stopping the
growth of coral
reefs
Death of corals
decrease in the
stock of sand due
to the scarcity of
fish from which it
comes
decrease in coastal
protection by the
reef
beach silting
deficit
decrease in marine
resources
increase in the
phenomena of
coastal erosion
health risk of
development of
phytotoxin
pollution and
ciguatera
epidemic
IMPACT ON TOURISM ECONOMY
IMPACT ON THE LIVELIHOOD
ECONOMY
IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND
THE ECONOMY OF FISHERIES
IMPACT ON THE COST OF COASTAL
PROTECTION DEVELOPMENTS

5. Roles of Ecosystem connectivity in coral restoration program
The health of one coastal ecosystem can
impact another ecosystem with which it is
connected.
the degradation of one will cause the
degradation of the other.
2 important factors are the direct causes
of the degradation of coastal ecosystems,
deforestation and water pollution (Human
activities).
Deforestation will cause an accumulation
of sediments in the waters and degrade
ecosystems sensitive to this factor (coral
reefs for example).
The health of coral reefs therefore
depends on the good quality of the
seagrass ecosystem and mangrove
ecosystem which protect them from
certain degrading parameters and vice
versa.
To restore coral reef its important to know
these factors to correct them.

6. BEFORE START CORAL REHABILITATION

7. BEFORE PLANTING CORAL
• Have enough knowledge about coral biology and identification. Identify the good coral fragment to plant.
• Identify any damaged area needing to be restored and rehabilitated (better than create an artificial reef is restored rich coral reef
area damaged).
• Study the area about the damages such as anchor damage/ water quality (pollution, temperature, turbidity by sedimentation) /
skeleton of coral destroyed to know which coral restore / substrate.
• Adapt the best technic to the coral rehabilitation with the observations did during study the characteristics of the area identified.
• Ask to Local stakeholders like Department of National park or department of Marine conservation and ressources, authorization
to plant coral, collaboration and help to protect area.
You need to follow this rules to enable successful coral restoration.
Don’t forget it is not just planting coral it is restore an ecosystem.
For all the rope and other material to attach coral fragment don’t use any plastic but natural cotton and natural thread.

8. GENERAL PARAMETER TO KNOW
Substrat Important to choose the good substrat for the good coral
Coral composition Competitive relationship between coral taxa can compromise
the success of restoration.
Depth Important to respect the Depth of coral grow and not
modificate it cause of UV, light and temperature parameter.
Turbidity Coral grow in clear water will be not adapted about turbide
water and make it stressed.
Current Some hard coral are not adapted to stay in area with strong
current. Soft coral are more adapted.
Decompression For restoration you are able to take some coral fragments
from the sea to glue outside water. For that you need to
respect the decompression measure for coral (similar human)
to limit stress and increase his survival.
Debris Important to identify what kind of thing could be continue to
damage coral on the area.
Temperature Do not planting during temperatura warming episode.
Control this parameter on the restoration area that are one
important about coral stress and health.

9. SUBSTRAT PARAMETER
substrat advantage desavantage
Coral skeleton (calcium carbonate) Natural Small blocks are light so can flip
easy. Can solidify the structure in
glue block together with cement
recommended
Cement block From recycling Can be heavy to transfer from the
land to the sea
recommended
Natural rock Natural Need to use the rock find on
restoration site
recommended
Steel Adapt shape of structure for coral
and make Good anchor in the
bottom
Metal oxydation can stress and
damage coral
recommended
Aluminium / inox No metal oxydation Inert metal, coral can not fusion
well with these substrat
Make coral fragile
Not recommended
Plastic Easy to use Plastic is an important source of
marine pollution and disease so
better to limit it.
Not recommended
Cotton Natural and strong Used just for staghorn coral recommended
Glass From recycling and no oxydation Inert so coral can not fusion very
well with substrat. Make fragile
coral base
Not recommended but can be a
good habitat for some marine
organisms

10. CORAL RESTORATION TECHNICS

11. BASIC TECHNIC
• Natural method
• Easiest coral restoration technic
• Need no specific equipment
• Economic technic
• Can use small and big coral fragment
• Good technic to coral restoration initiation and
for non divers.

12. BASIC TECHNIC STEP
Collect small or big healthy coral
fragment
Find a hole with similar diameter that the
coral fragment.
Depend the shape of the coral
Place the fragment in the hole. Not only
posed but must be stalled
Verify the good position and if
the fragment can not move.

13. SUPER GLUE TECHNIC
13
• is a minor toxicity adhesive material
• is used on the surface, not in the water
• is also able to do so under water in gel but can
be expansive
• Economic technic
• Can glue small coral fragment
• Good technic to coral restoration initiation and
for non divers. Process can be used on boat or
beach
• It’s a strong glue therefore no contact with skin

14. SUPERGLUE STEP
14
Collect rocks in a basket and
transfer in water tank on the
boat or beach
Collect coral fragment in zip bag to
transfer into a little water tank on the
boat (survey temperature < 31°C)
Take a coral fragment and cut
the healthy part. No bigger
than 2cm
When the coral is glued on the rock
you can reintroduce on the bottom on
the sea or nursery by the basket
Brush the rock and Place
fragment on the rock
and glue the coral
fragment
Add baking soda lotion
like catalyzer to speed up
the hardening of the glue
During process keep coral
fragment in water tank to limit
to stress coral

15. EPOXY TECHNIC
• Is a chemical bi-component glue
• Usable under water after mixing
• Middle price technic
• Can glue small or big coral fragment
• Can fix big coral structures
• Principal glue used in aquarium
• Toxic therefore protect your skin during
manipulation

16. EPOXY TECHNIC STEP
16
Collect rocks, hard substrates
and prepare the restoration
area Collect broken coral
Take a coral fragment and cut to
keep the healthy part.
Put the coral fragment on
the paw.
Glue dry in 10-30min
Make a ball with the paw and
stock them in a bag or basket
Back in the water with
glue paw , brush the
support to spread glue
Back to the surface to prepare
the bi component glue by
mixing it

17. CEMENT TECHNIC
17
• is a natural material with limestone and clay
• is a hydraulic binder is a binder that forms and
hardens by chemical reaction with water
• is also able to do so under water, which is called
hydraulicity. We can use cement directly
underwater or on the surface
• Economic technic
• Good symbiosis with coral (favorized by calcium
in cement)
• Can glue small or big coral fragment
• Can fix big coral structures
• Irritant therefore protect skin during
manipulation

18. CEMENT TECHNIC STEP
18
Collect rocks or identify some of
them underwater Collect coral fragment
Cut the healthy part of coral
in fragment. Small or big
fragment ok
Prepare cement at the
surface: mix natural cement
and sea water until have like
modeling clay
Put cement in cement
bag/gun
after brush the rock to
remove algae Put some
cement on the rock
directly underwater
Place the fragment on the
cement

19. METAL STRUCTURE TECHNIC
• ecologic
• easy to build different kind of structure
• Can adapt the structure and the size to the
bottom and the surface to restore
• Can fix small or big coral fragment
• Can create artistic structure
• Replaces a degraded natural substrate

20. METAL STRUCTURE STEP
20
Install the metal structure on the best
place to restore and pull on until good
stabilization of the structure Collect coral fragments
Cut the healthy part of coral
in fragment. Small or big
fragment ok
Attach the fragment on the
structure with slip knot and
double knot
Continue to attach coral
fragments on all the structure Use natural thread like
cotton to attach corals
fragments
No plastic

21. ROPE TECHNIC
• ecologic (used cotton rope and not hemp rope
because it degrade quickly)
• cheap
• easy to use
• Can adapt the structure and the size to the
bottom and the surface to restore
• Can fix small or big coral fragment (but not too
small)
• Replaces a degraded natural substrate or can be
used as a nursery

22. ROPE TECHNIC STEP
Collect coral fragments
Cut the healthy part of coral
in fragment. Small or big
fragment ok
Plant the metal stick with
hammer that will support
the rope and coral
fragments
Attach just one extremity of
rope on the stick.
For that you can untwist
rope fiber or use scissors
or other tools to make
the hole
Start to install coral fragment
on the rope making a hole
between fiber of the rope
Use capstan knot
Put coral fragment in the hole
and continue every 15 cm and
finish to hang the 2e
extremity of the rope

23. SUMMARY

24. BASIC TECHNIC SUPER GLUE EPOXY
ADVANTAGES - Free
- Accessible for
everybody
- Good for small and
big fragment
- Interesting to learning method
- No need to be diver
- Can glue at the surface
- Good for little coral fragment
- Can use baking soda + calcium carbonate
powder to favor glue fixation and skeleton
development
- Price
- Can plant all kind of hard coral
- One of the first method used to
restore coral
- After prepared the glue , can use
directly under water
- Easy to use
DISADVANTAGES
- Survival average 40-60%
because the fragment
need to don’t move.
- Can not glue underwater (possible with
superglue gel but expansive and little success)
- Survival average 50-70%
- Strong super glue can burn and kill coral
- Can not glue big coral fragment (less than
2cm)
- Need a lot of glue bottle
- Sensitive method with courant and
sedimentation. Need to glue all substrates
together to limit they flip and coral die
- Price
- Probably CMR pollution due to the
release of volatile chemical
substances during the curing phase.
-Have to study the sexual
reproduction to the coral
rehabilitate with this kind of glue
-Survival average: 50-60%
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED (NOT
INCLUDED: BOAT/DIVE EQUIPMENT)
Gloves / (a pliers) Tube of Superglue / 2 water tanks / 1 basket / 4
Tupperware /little bag / baking soda lotion /
pliers / (lifting buoy) / gloves / a brush
Epoxy glue / gloves / pliers / basket /
little bag / a brush
PRICE EVALUATION (CONSUMABLE)
FOR 50 FRAGMENTS PLANTED (NOT
INCLUDED: BASIC EQUIPMENT)
0 bath (need anything) 200 bath ( 7 tube of superglue + lotion + zip
bag)
625 bath ( 5 stick of epoxy glue)

25. CEMENT METAL STRUCTURE ROPE
ADVANTAGES - Natural
- Cheap
- Can plant all kind of hard coral
- Easy to use under underwater
- No toxic
- Survival average 80-95%
- Fix the coral with natural cotton
line
- No toxic
- Can plant small and big coral
fragment
- Can create artistic reef
- Survival average 70-85%
- Price
- Easy to use
- Can install everything
underwater
- Natural cotton rope
- -can restore big area
- Can plant small and big coral
fragment
- Survival average 90-100%
DISADVANTAGES
- Link with cement industry that is
responsible of 5% of CO2 emission in
the world
But the quantity used for the coral
restoration is so low.
- Need good mix between water and
cement. Not too liquid and not to
hard.
- Price
- Some coral are not appropriate for
this kind of structure
- fragility of structures over time
- Control the structure to prevent
algae proliferation
- Metal oxydation can stress and
kill coral fragment
- maintenance of the structure to
prevent algae proliferation
- Some coral are not appropriate
for this kind of structure
- Hemp rope degradation is quick
so important to use just cotton
rope
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED (NOT
INCLUDED BOAT/DIVE EQUIPMENT)
Gloves/ pliers/ bucket cement /
reusable mortar pocket
Gloves / pliers / metal structure /
cotton yarn
Gloves / pliers / rope (2m; diam
6mm) / metal stick / a screwdriver
PRICE EVALUATION (CONSUMABLE)
FOR 50 FRAGMENTS PLANTED (NOT
INCLUDED BASIC EQUIPMENT)
10 bath (2kg of cement) 400 bath ( 2 metal structure
60x60cm + cotton yarn)
200 bath (5 ropes + 10 metal stick)

26. ADVICE
BASIC TECHNIC SUPER GLUE EPOXY CEMENT METAL STRUCTURE ROPE
- Polyp is stinging
and this technic is
easy to use to
manipulate many
fragments so don’t
forget to put
gloves to limited
itching.
- Coral fragment
have to be cliped
solidly and stable
- Chemically, the bicarbonate
molecules in baking soda
react with cyanoacrylate to
create a reactive ion that
more easily bonds with other
cyanoacrylate molecules.
These bonds establish long,
polymer chains that are
stronger and more resilient
than cyanoacrylate-water
bonding.
- Clean with brush the surface
where put the super glue for
better grip
- Limit the step with coral out
of the water, it create more
stress for coral.
- Put gloves during
manipulate super glue and
coral.
- Can add calcium carbonate
powder in lotion to boost
skeleton regeneration
- Technic adapted for all kind
of hard coral and all form.
- The basic components,
before polymerization,
are toxic, and can in
particular release esters
derived from phthalic
acid and various
alcohols.
When you mix base and
hardener, a chemical
reaction takes place. In
its liquid form and
especially when
combined with the
hardener, the resin is
toxic. This is why its use
requires precautions and
put gloves during
manipulation with epoxy
and coral.
I DON’T RECOMMEND
THIS TECHNIC.
- Mix cement with
sea water but don’t
add sand until it
become clay.
- Clean with brush
the surface where
put the cement for
better grip.
- Put gloves to
manipulate cement
and coral.
- Can add calcium
carbonate powder
in cement to boost
skeleton
regeneration
- Technic adapted
for all kind of hard
coral and all form.
- Useful technic for
branching coral with
fast growth and no
need real substrate to
grow.
- Don’t let too much
space between the
fragment and 15cm
from the bottom.
- Cover the structure
with sand to stabilize it
- Put gloves to
manipulate the
structure and coral.
- Some metal and other
substrates are inert
(aluminium, inox, glass)
so the coral fixation is
harder than on steel or
other substrates.
- Adapted for
branching and table
coral
- Its important to clean
the rope regularly to
limit algae
development and keep
healthy coral.
- Useful technic for
branching coral with
fast growth and no
need real substrate to
grow.
- Don’t let too much
space between the
fragment and 20cm
from the bottom.
- Put gloves to
manipulate cement
and coral.
- Adapted for
branching coral.
- In shallow area, rope
can be perturbate by
wave and current.

27. APPENDIX

28. IDENTIFY HEALTHY CORAL FRAGMENT
Good coral fragments are:
- still nice color from zooxanthellia
- Unabraded coral skin
- No cover by algae
- No white spot (can be a bacteria)
- No bleached
On all the photos the coral fragments
on the left are the healthy one to use to
plant
On the right they are bleached or dead
The left coral fragment is the
healthy one to use to plant
On the right they are bleached or
dead
On this photo coral fragment are
colorful because cover by algae
and dead so they are not good to
plant.
Healthy coral fragment

29. EXAMPLE OF STRUCTURE YOU CAN BUILD
Coral nursery Metal structure for staghorn/branching coral

30. EXAMPLE OF MONITORING SHEET on Excel
Collecting data by monitoring is
an important part of the coral
conservation, restoration project
to follow the parameters of
project success or not.
It allows to share with scientific
community to enrich the
knowledge about conservation
and research.
Use different Excel folder for
each area

31. MONITORING SHEET
# FRAGMENT CORAL SP STATE (H/B/D) SIZE SUPPORT COMMENT
DATE
LOCATION
WATER TEMPERATURE

32. Survey Methods
2 depths @ each site
3-5m & 8-10m
Reef FISH
3 x 50m (2m wide belts - small reef fish)
3 x 50m (5m wide belts - large reef fish)
CORAL &
RUBBISH Diversity
3 x 50m ( 2m wide belts)
* Includes inventory of rubbish within belts
Large reef FISH
3 x 250m (5m wide belts)
BENTHIC
Cover
3 x 50m Point-intercept transects
(100 points, record every 50cm)
*includes counts of rubbish
MacroINVERTebrates
3 x 250m (5m wide belt)
4
** Remember 2 depths surveyed at each site = 6 transects per site for all taxa.
REEF AND FISH MONITORING METHODS

33. CONTACT and INFORMATIONS
E-MAIL: greenguardians.asso@gmail.com
LINE: green guardians
FACEBOOK: @greenguardians.asso
INSTAGRAM: greenguardians.asso
THAILAND
80 5 Moo 4 Ao Nang
Muang Krabi 81180
FRANCE
Rue Saint Caprais
91770 Saint-Vrain