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Hope for Reefs, Phase II
Photo: Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences
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Coral reefs support 25 percent of all marine life—and the livelihoods of half a billion humans. Hope for Reefs is a major Academy initiative aiming to reverse the rapid decline of Earth’s reefs in this generation.
In Phase I of Hope for Reefs, launched in 2016, Academy scientists and partners worked tirelessly to understand, protect, and restore global reefs. We were the first to explore some of the Earth’s most little-known “twilight zone” reefs 100-500 feet below the ocean’s surface. We made breakthroughs with the first aquarium-based coral spawning laboratory in the US and piloted innovative conservation strategies. And we touched hearts and minds around the world with inspiring, urgent stories about coral reefs through award-winning exhibits and planetarium shows.
In Phase II, we will go much further, taking this critical work to scale and creating powerful pathways—biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement—to set reefs on a trajectory of resilience and regeneration in our fast-changing world.
Regeneration in action
As oceans grow warmer and more acidic, corals are struggling to reproduce. To promote reproduction, Academy scientists sought to replicate reef conditions in Palau in our Coral Regeneration Lab (CoRL)—and succeeded in becoming the first lab in the US to spawn corals in aquaria. We anticipate significantly refining our techniques to advance coral science and inform and ultimately improve restoration programs worldwide.
Photo © Tane Sinclair-Taylor
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Biodiversity science
With deep expertise in coral reef research, we’re helping to restore global reef health and resilience through interventions that increase genetic diversity and accelerate restoration of reefs, including breakthrough solutions developed in CoRL and at field sites around the world. Academy scientists continue to conduct the most comprehensive reef surveys to date, from heavily impacted shallow reefs to the largely unexplored mesophotic “twilight zone.”
Photo: Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences
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Environmental learning
Through K-12 education, youth mentorship and training, museum exhibits and programs, and virtual and place-based learning, we are growing a global community that cares and advocates for coral reefs. Across all programming, we are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion by ensuring that students, scientists, and communities have equitable access to the tools they need, including immersive, engaging content to help educators and families dive deeper into reef science.
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Collaborative engagement
Academy partnerships with coral reef communities in the Philippines and Brazil led to the creation of three new marine protected areas (MPAs)—and momentum is building to establish more. In addition to protecting reefs, we’re also regenerating them: Working with SECORE and other global experts, we developed novel technologies to “seed” thousands of genetically diverse corals onto damaged reefs, which, when deployed, will give these vital ecosystems a fighting chance.
Photo © Tane Sinclair-Taylor
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News and updates
- Plastic pollution on coral reefs increases with depth and mostly comes from fishing activities (Nature; July 12, 2023)
- Study shows how biodiversity of coral reefs around the world changes with depth (Current Biology; March 13, 2023)
- California Academy of Sciences researchers produce first-ever "family tree" for aquarium-bred corals (Frontiers in Marine Science; November 14, 2022)
- California Academy of Sciences teams up with international conservation partners for coral spawning and restoration workshop in Honduras (September 27, 2022)
Visit our Press Center for more Hope for Reefs news.
Our strategic initiatives
The Academy's mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. Explore the initiatives that will help us achieve it.
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A bumper crop of coral babies
Congratulations, it's a gamete! Our Coral Regeneration Lab team recently welcomed thousands of coral "newborns."
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A mesophotic milestone in Roatán
Academy divers recently conducted the first biodiversity surveys of Roatán's mesophotic reefs outside of a submersible.
Photo: Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences
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Hope for Reefs receives UN endorsement
Our Hope for Reefs initiative made a splash on World Oceans Day: The International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO named it an official Ocean Decade project!
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New species alert!
Meet the rose-veiled fairy wrasse, a new addition to the tree of life—and the first fish from the Maldives to be described by a local scientist.
Descend into the little-known mesophotic zone, where sunlight is scarce—and fascinating marine life abounds.
Researchers in the Coral Regeneration Lab are successfully breeding coral to regenerate reefs around the world.
A kid-friendly approach to learning about coral reefs through guided videos, crafts, experiments, and webcams.
Watch reef fish dart through colorful forests of coral while giant rays sail gracefully under your feet.
Academy scientists were recently the first to explore the Maldives' mesophotic reefs. See what they discovered!
Academy researchers rekindled partnerships and found a few new-to-science sea slugs in the famed archipelago.