Bahamas Launches ‘Aggressive’ Initiative to Preserve its Coral Reefs

In a bid to address and reverse the devastating effects of warming ocean temperatures and a disease ravaging its coral reefs, The Bahamas has opened the country’s first coral gene bank at Atlantis Paradise Island.

The facility will house and propagate healthy coral, then replant it on damaged reefs. 

“Today’s opening marks a major milestone and also represents just the beginning,” said Atlantis Blue Project Foundation Executive Director Debra Erickson. 

“The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank at Atlantis Paradise Island is more than a facility — it is a symbol of hope, a safeguard for biodiversity, and a strategic investment in long-term reef resilience. It not only strengthens national conservation capacity but also inspires young Bahamians to take on leadership roles in the stewardship of our natural resources.”

The coral rescue initiative is the result of a collaboration between the government of The Bahamas through the Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection and the Office of the Prime Minister, as well as Atlantis Paradise Island and the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS), the University of The Bahamas, and the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI).

The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank at Atlantis Paradise Island can accommodate up to 200 large, mature coral colonies, in addition to smaller fragments and juvenile corals. 

Fifteen coral species have been relocated to the Atlantis Paradise Island-based biosecure Gene Bank research facility. Coral fragments collected from the ocean are placed in pristine, on-site aquaria, and once stable, they grow and reproduce quickly with the aid of innovative reproduction techniques such as lunar-cycle simulations. 

“Coral has become increasingly endangered over the years, but the introduction of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease completely changed the game and created extreme urgency to act,” said PIMS Executive Director Dr. Craig Dahlgren. 

“Transmitted among corals through direct contact and water circulation, the disease has spread to all major Bahamian islands and causes a high death rate in corals. Treatments are emerging slowly, but corals need to be rescued and isolated from the disease while these methods are perfected,” Dahlgren said. “Our collective vision is not only to preserve coral currently under threat, but also to foster new generations of corals that, when replanted, are more resilient to disease and other dangers.”