Coral species from another ocean may be the only way to save Caribbean reefs

At a conservation meeting in Miami, Florida, last month aimed at discussing the plight of local coral reefs, a previously unthinkable idea was on the agenda. Scientists, legal scholars, policymakers, ethicists, and coral conservation practitioners explored whether the situation is now so dire that we should consider shipping coral species from the Indo-Pacific region thousands of miles away to be planted in western Atlantic waters. Based on the best available information, we believe the answer is yes: Western Atlantic reefs are in terminal decline, and we must be open to researching even the most radical solutions to save them.

Often called Caribbean reefs (but covering a broader area as far north as Bermuda), western Atlantic corals make up about 10% of coral reef structures worldwide. They support the livelihood and protect the coastline of more than 20 nations. And while corals are in trouble worldwide due to climate change, Caribbean reefs are in particularly bad shape (1).

Preserving and restoring these coral reefs—and the Florida Reef Tract in particular—has become a full-time endeavor for scientists, federal and state policymakers, local communities and businesses, and activists. This is understandable: These reefs have been and continue to be a massive source of ecological, aesthetic, and economic value (2). But we argue that this effort must now be refocused and reorganized, and some hard truths must be realized. It is time to admit that native reef-builders keep declining, despite our best efforts, and that it will require a lot of work just to keep them from extinction. Meanwhile, reefs cannot wait—to stop deterioration of the ecosystem, some other coral species must “step in” to perform the ecological function of the declining ones. The problem is, the Caribbean has no native species for this role. What can we do? What should we do?