Reef Ball Foundation Photos and Project Description Database

Over 7,000 Red Mangroves have been imported into Antigua from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The importing process included treating the Red Mangroves with both fungicide and insecticide. Over time, these mangroves will develop into a vast mangrove ecosystem for Antigua and will unction together with the Reef Ball coral reefs to complete the marine ecosystem restoration on Maiden Island. The newly created mangrove habitat will enrich the life on the reefs with an abundant supply of fish, lobster and a great variety of marine life. As an added bonus, the mangroves will serve as natural filters to maintain excellent water quality for the reefs near Maiden Island.

According to the latest management theories of fish stock enhancement, a fish 'corridor' was designed to help juvenile fish migrate from shallow to deep waters which ends at a specially designed reef 'pinnacle' to create a location for fish to spawn. The Pinnacles are located so that the prevailing trade winds will move recently spawned fish larvae back to the protection of the newly built near shore reef system for protection for predators.

Dr. Richard Spieler and graduate students at NOVA Southwestern installed 16 Reef Balls with special invertebrate enhancers in a scientific control (undisturbed) area offshore of the windward submerged breakwater of the reef consisting of eight standardized reef balls and eight with the invertebrate enhancing treatments for a long term scientific study. So far, results have been inconclusive.