Turtle and Lobster artificial reefs

TRACC staff and volunteers have developed the technology to make some larger artificial reefs. These add to our arsenel of techniques to repair reefs damaged by blast fishing.   See a blasted reef here,

See our crate reefs, ribbon reef and bottle reefs here.   The new reefs make an immediate difference to the marine life and we hope the larger structures will attract larger fish species.

The turtle and lobster reefs are comparable to reefballs (a patented technology) but they are a lot simpler and cheaper to make by poor village commuities.

Links here
Turtle reef making - a fish life condominium,
Creating Lobster reefs - deep water apartments
Coral growth on bottle reefs

Part 1 A photo guide to Making a Turtle reef,

The basic turtle shape is covered with mesh for strength

The first layer of cement has moulds attached

The moulds will create holes and openings in the finished reef

If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.

Creature Feature - Mating Mandarin Fish

Photo by Basil Bohn 

Three bright and iridescent mandarin fish play ring around the rosy in the playground of the TRACC crate reef. These three apparently painted ladies gather each night in a pre-spawning mating ritual in which they display their gleaming blue and orange patterns to a potential mate. Coyly they circle between the holes and loops created by the crates and flutter their fins in a rapid and flirtatious manner.

This ritual is preformed each evening in the fading light of the setting sun. Three to five females will gather in the same place to wait for the male to arrive.  If the male arrives and is large enough to please the ladies, a pair will join together, bellies touching, dorsal fins a-fluttering, and circle upwards to release their sperm and eggs in a tango of a spawning dance.

Shy of bright light, and shy of open spaces, the crevices and holes in the crate reef, give us eager divers a perfect viewing platform. A chance to see the prettiest of fish preform the prettiest of mating rituals and view the ocean stage from the comfort of the house reef and house seats. 

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If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.