Corals of the species Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis, in critical danger of extinction, are part of the coral species planted on the beaches of Inca Inca, in the city of Santa Marta, as part of the national strategy ‘One Million Corals for Colombia’, led by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, which seeks to plant this figure throughout the country, and in the Magdalena 50,000 fragments in areas of greater coral degradation.
Currently, more than 40,280 fragments have been planted on the seabed of the Inca Inca beaches, in 3 tree, table and clothesline-type coral nurseries, thanks to the joint work between the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Magdalena -CORPAMAG and the Aquarium of the Rodadero, and the support of institutions such as Conservation International, Corales de Paz, the Caribbean Marine Research Center Foundation, fishermen and young students from the Universidad del Magdalena and the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, who fight for the restoration of reef ecosystems. coral that have deteriorated over time.
But without a doubt, the most important members of this alliance are the fishermen who previously carried out their tasks in the areas where the coral nurseries are located, and now they are trained in diving, restoration of coral ecosystems and they are the ones who are installing the nurseries.
It is worth mentioning that the corals in the coastal area of the department of Magdalena have suffered an advanced deterioration that sets off alarms; 90% of the reefs are deteriorated and threatened by various factors such as dumping, anchors, anchoring and trawling of boats.