Scientists and Straws: The Unlikely Pair Saving Coral Reefs Quicker Than Ever Before

With global coral reef populations in steep decline, experts have been searching for solutions to prevent marine predators from attacking spawning coral – and scientists from Reef Fortify developed a revolutionary answer. The new phade® Coral Fort™ uses our boba straws to build a barrier that protects transplanted coral, increasing survival rates from less than 40% to over 90% and effectively turning over a new “reef” in restoration efforts.

Try the Innovative Straw

phade straws do more than help prevent plastic pollution. Now they’re helping to protect the ocean’s coral reefs too!

Predation of corals transplanted from laboratories to the ocean has hindered reef restoration efforts for years and an effective means of protecting corals has eluded experts until now. The new “Coral Fort™,” a device that uses a limestone disc surrounded by the phade® brand of marine biodegradable drinking straws, protects laboratory-grown coral moved to the ocean in reef restoration efforts. Predators like parrot fish bite and destroy newly transplanted coral, but phade straws shield the coral and then safely biodegrade, leaving nothing behind except a strong and growing piece of coral.

The team’s research findings show more than 90 percent of corals placed within Coral Forts™ off the coast of Fort Lauderdale were free from parrot fish bites and are now thriving, up from less than 40 percent survival rate without assistance from Coral Forts™.

Why It Works

Coral reefs represent some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, providing a habitat for a variety of marine life. The phade straws protect the baby coral from parrot fish bites for 8 weeks, at which point the coral has grown large enough and the phade straws have safely biodegraded away. The Coral Fort™ is a simple, inexpensive, and environmentally safe solution that allows coral put into the ocean in reef restoration efforts to grow and thrive.

Coral Fort™ Dive Footage

Get an up-close underwater view of a Coral Fort™ in action.

Media Inquiries

phadepr@finnpartners.com

Coral Fort™ Inquiries

Coral Forts in the Spotlight: Explore Further Coverage Here

Scientists are grasping at straws while trying to protect infant corals from hungry fish

These biodegradable straws could prevent new coral from becoming expensive fish food

Florida scientists have built a ‘Coral Fort’ from plastic straws and other recycled materials to keep fish from eating lab-grown reef

Researchers grasp at biodegradable straws to stop the decline of lab-grown coral reef

Florida scientists save baby coral from predators using boba straws

Atlanta-based company helping Florida researchers replenish coral reefs

Scientists and Straws: The Unlikely Pair Saving Coral Reefs Quicker Than Ever Before

phade straws do more than help prevent plastic pollution. Now they’re helping to protect the ocean’s coral reefs too!

Why It Works

Coral Fort™ Dive Footage

Media Inquiries

Coral Fort™ Inquiries

Coral Forts in the Spotlight: Explore Further Coverage Here

We’re Flexing a New Feature

We’re Flexing a
New Feature