Restoring Reefs, Restoring Hope

Roatan Marine Park
Aug 5
2 min read

Roatan Marine Park Inaugurates Honduras’ First Coral Larval Rearing Facility

On June 18, 2025, Roatan Marine Park (RMP), in partnership with the California Academy of Sciences and with support from the G20 Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), celebrated a historic milestone: the launch of Honduras’ first ex situ coral larval rearing facility, a groundbreaking step for coral reef conservation in the region.

With up to 90% of the world’s coral reefs at risk of disappearing by 2050 due to climate change, pollution and other stressors, the establishment of this facility marks a major step forward, not just for Roatan, but for reef restoration efforts globally. It puts us on the world map as a leader in coral conservation and scientific innovation by applying cutting-edge, research-based interventions. These include amino acid dosing, symbiont inoculation, seawater buffering and controlled thermal stress exposure, techniques designed to increase coral survival rates and resilience in warming oceans.

What makes this facility especially valuable is that it’s more than a research lab, it’s a dynamic center for learning and collaboration. It creates opportunities to host visiting scientists, train local and regional practitioners, and exchange knowledge with conservation professionals from across the Mesoamerican Reef and beyond. This emphasis on capacity-building ensures that the benefits of the research extend far beyond Roatan’s shores.

Restoring Reefs, Restoring Hope

How does the lab work?

The Coral Restoration Center of Roatan (CRCR) features three integrated zones. It starts in the Life Support System Container, where high-quality seawater is filtered and stabilized. This water is then distributed to the Larval Rearing Cones (LRCs), conical tanks where coral larvae, collected after spawning, begin their development in controlled conditions. Once mature, the larvae move to raceways, shallow tanks with prepared substrates, where they settle and grow. These young corals are eventually transferred to ocean nurseries or directly out-planted to reefs, completing their journey toward ecosystem restoration. Led primarily by Honduran women scientists, this program is a model of conservation driven by science, action, and community.