Förderverein Deutsches Meeresmuseum e. V.

We wish you all a Happy New Year from the bottom of our hearts.

There is a lot on the agenda for the Coral Doctors in 2020, we can already tell you that it will be really exciting. The NGO "Save the Beach Maldives" is planning to build a "Marine Research and Learning Center" on the island of Villingili right next to the capital. The Coral Doctors will supervise the center together with the German Oceanographic Museum. The construction alone confronts us with major challanges.

Our two scientists Dr. Nicole Kube and Pablo Montoto were on the trip to the Maldives and also in Villingili until shortly before Christmas. At this point we would like to share a short report of the trip:

On site report - Maldives project in December 2019

"In brief, a selection of important work priorities during our first week here in the Maldives.

The first week we worked on Villingili, the place where the new centre is to be built. There we spent the days with Hassan Beybe and his wife Thanzy and continued the planning for the center.

We updated the plans for the coral farm and visited the buildings of the future center. Everything is still in unrenovated condition, but construction work is scheduled to start in January 2020.

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It is necessary to lay a pipeline. For this purpose a special permit and an expert opinion must be obtained. The document is called EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). There was a round of coordination with Mrs. Naffa, who is responsible for the preparation and further approval procedures. On the following day we made a reef investigation and documented the occurring species.

We also snorkeled around the whole island and looked at the condition of the house reef. It has improved significantly since March.

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Unfortunately a lot of garbage continues to be washed up on the islands. We collected garbage during the snorkeling tours and also in between and put it into disposal containers.

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Furthermore we helped at a beachcleanup organized by Save the Beach in Hulhumale (a side island of the capital island Male). The Commercial Bank of Maldives carried out a team building measure and collected 225kg of garbage (!!) in one hour in a small "competition" with 3 teams: mainly plastic, but also metal and other garbage (e.g. suitcases).

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On Maafushi and have found great results from the coral farm there. The number of frames with planted corals has increased to more than 50 and the corals we planted directly on a rock in March have grown very well!

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In Rasdhoo the corals grow magnificently. We are very happy about this. Unfortunately, the complete team of the diving school has changed and additional training is urgently needed there, so that the project can be continued independently.

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In Ukulhas the area at the reef was extended with new frames. The diving school is trying to push the project forward. A concept for further motivation should be found e.g. that divers and holiday guests are actively involved in the expansion of the project. Maafushi is exemplary for this. 

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Thanks a lot and keep on caring

Warm regards

Yami & Torsten
Nicole & Pablo