Environmental impact assessment report for establishing a coral nursery at Huvafenfushi, North Male' Atoll

Abstract

As the proponent of the project Per Aquum, Huvafen Fushi, Maldives pledge proposes to establish a coral nursery at Huvafen Fushi to enhance the coral reef recovery process at certain location of the reef through transplantation of coral nubbins grown at the proposed nursery. As such a permit is sought from the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture as required by the Marine Scientific Research guidelines of Maldives. Due to the nature of the project MOFAMR in consultation with MEEW made a decision to require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report as part of approval for Marine Scientific Research in the Maldives imposed by Ministry of Fisheries Agriculture and Marine Resources. This decision was based on the proposed project as “artificial reef” and artificial reefs are categorised as “projects” that are mandatory to submit an EIA as specified in Schedule D of Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of Maldives (EIA Regulations, MEEW 2007). The coral nursery include establishment of coral nursery trays in the lagoon of Huvafen Fushi. Up to five hundred (500) coral pieces will be required to be removed from local coral colonies growing on the resort house reefs or loose coral fragments that are suitable for mounting on the concrete plugs as coral nubbins. These will provide a sufficient source of nubbins that are required for establishing the nursery trays, which then become self-sustaining (as the nubbins grow large enough fragments from the nubbins are re-grown in the plugs so that the nursery is self sustained). Assessment of the reef was carried out in order to establish the existing condition of the reef. The reef condition in terms of live coral cover at the proposed transplant area was poor to a control site only a few hundred meters further away some what confirming the requirement for the reef recovery enhancement effort. No significant environmental impacts are identified that are associated with the components of the project. Coral fragments collected from the corals or from the reef would be transplanted to the concrete plugs and then placed in nursery trays. The number of fragments proposed for the initial nursery setup is unlikely to cause a significant damage to the reef environment. Appropriate environmental impact mitigation measures have been identified for the potential activities that may cause negative impacts. An appropriate monitoring plan has been proposed so that the effectiveness of the project implementation and its operations can be monitored.