Coral reefs are responsible for survival of marine wildlife and the economy within the state of Hawaii. Unfortunately, a problem exists in which coral reefs are rapidly disappearing due to various threats such as pollution and changes in sea water temperature. Without coral reefs, a negative impact will occur within both the wildlife and Hawaii’s economy. Therefore, implementing an in-water large scale coral nursery purposed for coral husbandry and future out-planting will help to restore and conserve the population of healthy coral around the island of Oahu.

The purpose of the Coral Reef Nursery project is to first modify and install an in-water coral reef nursery for a sand bottom surface and design, manufacture, and install a second coral nursery for a hard bottom surface. Both structures will be used towards coral restoration and rehabilitation. The first structure will be installed at Reef Runway, Sand Island by December 2017 and the second structure will be installed at the Atlantis Waikiki by May 2018. Both underwater structures will be created through the standard engineering design process and shall adhere to the requirements and constraints defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The Coral Crew has determined that the first task will focus on modifications of the assembly plan, installation plan and the overall height for the underwater structure installed on a sand bottom surface. Modifications solely focus on the assembly plan and height adjustment because any major changes to any of the preordered parts would either increase the project’s overall costs or compromise the structural integrity. The modification for the height of the structure will just consist of changing the overall height from 6ft to 4ft-4in for easier accessibility. The modification to the assembly involves how the grate will be attached to the overall frame and modifications to the installation plan consists of how it will be transported out to the ocean and built underwater. The assembly plan must be simple to ensure that the structure will be able to be installed within multiple 45 minute dive times and must follow dive guidelines and regulations.

The second task is to design and fabricate a second underwater structure that is to be assembled and deployed in an area where the seafloor consists of a hard unleveled surface. The hard bottom structure will be designed so that it can be assembled and deployed without any nuts, bolts, or tools while maintaining its structural durability. This structure will also be able to be easily installed within a 45 minute dive time, have the ability to expand and include adjustable legs to provide the coral with a leveled platform despite any unevenness in the seafloor.

Both designs will also include peg attachments to help keep the coral in its proper orientation. The pegs will be made out of PVC and both structures will be fabricated out of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) material due to its underwater durability and resistance to corrosion.

This project initiates the restoration and conservation of coral reefs around the world by focusing on the coral reefs around the island of Oahu. These structures will benefit the reefs by providing the large coral heads with a safe place to continue to grow and rehabilitate over the next 5 years.