Stabilisation by consolidation
Functional objective:
Stabilisation to facilitate reef recovery
Delivery method:
Gabion baskets
Deployment scale:
Small (a few hectares, a single reef)
Subprogram:
When reefs are damaged (for example by storms, ship groundings or coral bleaching) the dead or degraded coral can become loose and unconsolidated rubble, making it difficult for coral to regrow.
This potential intervention would help increase the rate of reef recovery by consolidating rubble within gabion baskets, to stabilise the substrate and provide a 3D structure upon which corals can settle and grow.
The mesh baskets would be filled with rubble and would provide limited structure and habitat.
They would be fabricated and filled onshore and deployed using large barges.
