Restore Corals in Fiji

How the project works

In 2023 Coral Gardeners planted its first reef outside French Polynesia, establishing a restoration base on Malolo Island in Fiji's Mamanuca archipelago in partnership with Six Senses Fiji. It marked the first step in scaling their proven model to reefs across the Pacific.

The Fiji team follows the same approach that works in Mo'orea: collect fragments from resilient wild corals, grow them in underwater nurseries in calm, sheltered water, and - after about a year - outplant the mature colonies onto nearby degraded reef to rebuild its structure and life.

Two dedicated nurseries anchor the site, and since December 2023 the team has planted more than 20,000 coral fragments on Fijian reefs, with local staff trained as coral gardeners to lead the work and share it with visitors and the surrounding community.

Every fragment is tracked. Divers bring the Reef App underwater to log coral growth and health, feeding into Coral Gardeners' ReefOS monitoring so survival and recovery can be measured over time.

Fiji's reefs are under mounting pressure from warming seas, bleaching, cyclones and coastal development. Rebuilding coral cover and diversity strengthens the reef's ability to resist and recover from these shocks, while supporting the fisheries and tourism that Fijian communities depend on.

This site is part of Coral Gardeners' global mission to plant one million climate-resilient corals. Restoration is not a substitute for cutting emissions, but where local threats can be managed it is one of the most tangible ways to bring a dying reef back to life.