Reef Balls: A promising sign for coral reefs by Natayla Al-Kindy:
As coral reefs continue to decline globally due to damage from human activities, various
organisations around the world are seeking ways to protect them. Objects such as fishing nets and boat
anchors, and indirect processes such as pollutants, sedimentation, temperature increases and Ultra Violet
radiation are mainly the causes for the damage.
In the last edition of PDO News Joppe Cramwinckel and Barry Jupp wrote about a joint project
between Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Ministry of Environment and Regional
Municipalities (MRME) to test artificial reef materials and structures in the Omani marine environment
of Mina al Fahal.
PDO staff and Contractors constructed three modules, each 4 metres square and 1.5 metres high. Two
were made of scrap tyres and one of reinforced concrete pipe. The modules were deployed from the
barge Fahal on March 12, 1997. Only three weeks after deployment, astonishingly vigorous colonising
algae and animal growth on the structures and thousands of juvenile fish were already observed. But
initial conclusions are that although tyres form an attractive habitat for fish, they are not suitable for long
term reef restoration because of their toxicity and instability.
