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NOAA Restoration Center
Damage Assessment Restoration Program
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Fortuna Reefer - Mona Island Emergency Coral Reef Restoration
Fortuna Reefer - Mona Island Emergency Coral Reef Restoration
Ship groundings are serious threats to coral reefs. Corals may be crushed or become dislodged. On July 23, 1997 a 325-foot container ship, the Fortuna Reefer, ran aground on the fringing coral reef surrounding Mona Island a nature reserve off the coast of Puerto Rico. The 6.8 acre site was dominated by an old growth stand of Elkhorn coral, Acropora palmatta. Despite the absence of an oil spill, the case was pursued under the Oil Pollution Act because of a substantial threat of an oil discharge and from the injuries to the coral related to the response actions. To ensure the highest probability of successful restoration, an expedited settlement was reached and restoration occurred several months after the grounding incident and was completed by October, 1997. The restoration strategy consisted of reattaching branches of coral that were sheared off by steel cables used in response activities by securing them with stainless steel wire and nails to the reef buttress and to the existing relic Acropora palmatta framework. At the conclusion of the restoration work, over 1,857 coral fragments were stabilized. Monitoring stations have been established to track the success of the restoration effort.
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Fortuna Reefer
Restoration
The reefs off Mona Island are the resting grounds for many ships. The wreck inthe image is the M/V El Alborada, grounded offshore of Pajaros on Mona Island inin 1980.
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Looking from the restoration site facing northeast at the tip of Mona Island arethe cliffs. At the east end of the island is an old lighthouse.
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Looking out at the M/V El Alborada from inside the cliffs at Mona Island at theeast end of the island.
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Looking from the cliffs at Playa de Pajaros. The restoration site is to theright in the photograph.
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The limestone cliffs at Mona Island
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The shaded variations in the water illustrate the patch reefs common at MonaIsland. The breaking waves show the beginning of the main reef framework.
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Facing south, a cliff face near the restoration site
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An entrance to the caves and cliffs at Mona Island
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From the water, a prominent cliff face of Mona Island
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Mona Island as seen from offshore
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The craggy face of a cliff at Mona Island
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The road down to the only existing housing at Mona Island leads to the stagingand docking areas for the restoration workers.
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Sunset over the water at Mona Island
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In the foreground, the camp and dock areas used to transport supplies to andfrom the reef.
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A large spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus, taken from the reef at MonaIsland.
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The Jamilie anchors in calm waters.
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In the foreground, John Iliff, the NOAA project manager for therestoration at Mona Island prepares to dive.
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A restoration worker uses a marine radio on board the Cunan Law toprepare for a site visit.
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Small boats, rigid hull inflatables, were used to support the restorationeffort. Divers left the Cunan Law, where they were housed and fed, and weretransported to the reef by the tenders.
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A small tender with divers at the restoration site.
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