Our Initiatives at a Glance
Reef ProtectionHelping local villages to set up and enforce Marine Protected Areas
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Reef RestorationCoral Planting, Growing Giant Clams, Removing Crown of Thorns Starfish
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MantasBetter understanding the behaviour of Reef Mantas in the Yasawas
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the next GenerationTraining young Fijian Marine Biologists
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ResearchMonitoring the health of the reef and validating the efficacy of our initiatives
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Public EducationSharing our message of hope with the world
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Reef Protection
We work with local community stakeholders to implement management strategies that regulate the fishing pressure on coral reef habitats, thereby facilitating the recovery of ecologically degraded ecosystems; our sights are set on the establishment of federal protection for the reefs around Drawaqa, so their health and vitality are securely maintained for generations into the future.
Reef Restoration
Using a number of different techniques we are gradually increasing the coral cover, structural complexity, and biodiversity of the reefs around Drawaqa. This activity includes Coral Planting, Growing Giant Clams, and Removing Crown of Thorns Starfish.
Mantas
There is a local mobulid ray population that visits the channel to the north of Drawaqa with the best feeding conditions occurring in the dry season. We study their population dynamics, migratory movements, natural behaviours, and impacts from anthropogenic threats.
Training the next Generation
We have established training programs and study trips with our partner universities in Fiji and Australia, in order to provide the necessary environment to nurture the growth of early career conservationists and scientists.
Research
Monitoring the health of the reef
We perform regular reef surveys to understand the ecological link between subsistence fishing and reef health. Our data have demonstrated that our reefs that are protected from fishing have more grazing fish and less benthic algae than comparison areas, both indicators of healthier reef ecosystems.
Marine Species Catalog
The sheer richness of the habitats around Drawaqa means that new rare and undescribed species are being discovered almost every month - we have created a catalogue that lists all the fish, corals, and other marine invertebrates that can be found around this island.
We perform regular reef surveys to understand the ecological link between subsistence fishing and reef health. Our data have demonstrated that our reefs that are protected from fishing have more grazing fish and less benthic algae than comparison areas, both indicators of healthier reef ecosystems.
Marine Species Catalog
The sheer richness of the habitats around Drawaqa means that new rare and undescribed species are being discovered almost every month - we have created a catalogue that lists all the fish, corals, and other marine invertebrates that can be found around this island.
Public Education
We run daily manta and reef ecology seminars for guests on Barefoot Manta Resort, as well as hosting school and university groups on the island. We also share our research and marine conservation activities on channels such as YouTube. We are looking to upgrade our classroom, wet lab and aquarium facilities, so that we can increase our capacity to host school and university groups, as well as external scientists and other collaborators.