Research programmes

Environmental survey programme
ReefDoctor’s Environmental survey programme aims to monitor environmental and ecological parameters within the Bay of Ranobe to provide an assessment of the impacts of anthropogenic and natural pressures on reef health.

The current programme encompasses assessments of three distinct regions within and around the lagoon: patch reefs, spur and groove areas, and deep exterior reefs.

Scuba transects of coral, invertebrates, fish and algae are undertaken at each of ReefDoctor’s 10 core sites every three months.

Artificial habitat programme
ReefDoctor has several active programmes that aim to enhance fish biodiversity and biomass by the introduction of artificial habitats.
IARCs (Indigenous Artificial Reef Complexes) are small experimental structures created from rubble placed into cement bases; creating structure from an unstructured habitat. IARCs provide a more stable and complex habitat than the original rubble field and over the last two years have proved to promote greater diversity of fish and coral life.

Pelagic FADs (fish aggregation devices) are a method of improving inshore artisanal fisheries for fishing communities. ReefDoctor, with advice from Ifaty’s fishing community, has designed, constructed and deployed a low-cost FAD made from locally available material. A series of FADs are planned for summer 2007.

Socio-economic programme
ReefDoctor recognises coral reefs as a fragile ecosystem that must be protected to conserve biodiversity and biomass of marine resources. Coral reef health is intricately linked to fisheries potential and the success of local fishing communities therefore any sustainable management programme, which must be an ultimate aim for Ifaty’s fishing community, must consider socio-economic as well as ecological and biological factors.

ReefDoctor has two programmes that focus on the social aspects of coral reef resource use: a fisheries assessment and a socio-economic survey.
Fisheries assessments to monitor fishing effort, popular fishing areas, and commonly caught species have been completed with Ifaty fishermen since January 2005.

Socio-economic surveys to investigate the demography and migratory history of fishermen within Ifaty’s community, the locations of marine resource harvesting and the economic value of these resources have been completed twice in recent years. A pilot study in 2003 helped direct ReefDoctor science programmes to cover heavily fished areas, areas harvested for specific marine species, such as octopus and squid and increased fishermen’s knowledge of ReefDoctor’s work.

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