WILLEMSTAD – A new coral nursery has been successfully installed at Playa Kalki, marking an important milestone in Curaçao’s marine conservation efforts. This new initiative is part of Reef Renewal Curaçao’s ongoing mission to restore and protect the island’s coral reefs and is being carried out in partnership with local dive operator Go West Diving.
The project had been in development since August 2024, when Reef Renewal Curaçao first approached Go West Diving with the idea. After months of waiting for the necessary permits, the team has finally launched the nursery, which is now anchored offshore—strategically positioned to avoid the main diving routes, allowing restoration work to take place quietly but effectively in the background.
“This is an exciting step forward in expanding our coral restoration network,” said Tripp Funderburk, Director of Reef Renewal Curaçao, who leads the organization alongside a team of marine scientists. The new nursery adds to an existing network that includes collaborations with dive centers like Ocean Encounters, The Dive Bus, Scubacao, and Goby Divers. Go West Diving and B Diving are now officially part of this joint effort.
To celebrate the launch, the team held a successful fundraiser event titled Tunes for Corals, featuring local talent Randy Wheeler. The event helped raise essential funds to support the nursery’s setup and maintenance.
Over the next four to six months, the focus will be on maintaining the nursery and monitoring coral growth. If all goes as planned, outplanting efforts—where healthy coral fragments are reattached to degraded reef areas—will begin later this year.
Reef Renewal Curaçao is also inviting divers to participate in the conservation work. Both recreational divers and those interested in deeper involvement can take part in nursery dives or enroll in the Coral Restoration Specialty Course, which is available through the program’s participating dive centers.
This latest addition at Playa Kalki strengthens Curaçao’s position as a regional leader in coral reef conservation and offers new opportunities for community involvement in preserving the island’s marine biodiversity.
