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Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support approximately 25% of all marine species. In Batangas Bay, decades of overfishing, sedimentation from coastal development, and recurring thermal bleaching events have reduced live coral cover at some sites from above 60% to below 15%. Restoration is not optional — it is urgent.
Our Nursery Method
Casa Escondida operates a mid-water coral nursery at 8 metres depth, 50 metres off our dive jetty. Coral fragments (3–5 cm) are collected from naturally broken pieces and attached to PVC tree frames where they grow to transplantable size over 6–12 months. The nursery currently holds approximately 400 fragments across six coral genera.
2025 Outplanting Results
- Total fragments outplanted: 680 across three sites (Ligaya's Garden, Twin Rocks, and a restoration site at Cathedral).
- Survival rate at 6 months: 74% — consistent with published benchmarks for branching Acropora in tropical environments.
- Top-performing species: Pocillopora damicornis (cauliflower coral) with 88% survival; Seriatopora hystrix with 81%.
- 2025 bleaching impact: The El Niño-linked thermal event of August–September 2025 caused partial bleaching in 22% of outplanted fragments at Ligaya's Garden, with full mortality in approximately 8%.
How Guests Can Participate
Our coral adoption programme allows guests to sponsor a fragment for ₱500. Your fragment is tagged with a numbered tile, photographed at time of planting, and you receive a 6-month follow-up photo by email. Groups of 4+ can join a guided outplanting dive where you place fragments personally under instructor supervision — one of the most meaningful activities available at the resort.
2026 goal: 1,000 fragments outplanted at five sites, including our first deep-water planting at 18 m using slow-growing massive coral genera less vulnerable to thermal stress.