Global Coral Reef Conservation Project
Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is also actively pursing a wide variety of social contribution programs worldwide aimed at helping conserve the environment and bettering society as a whole.
The Global Coral Reef Conservation Project, which is one of the environmentally focused projects, supports scientific research through the combined efforts of industry, academia and the general public.
This project has been approved as a partnership project by the Japan Committee of the United Nations Decade of Biodiversity (UNDB-J)
Global Coral Reef Conservation Project Activities
To restore beautiful coral reefs
The project is developing research, pursuing many different angels, for coral reef conservation and the main research of the project centers on three global locations: Okinawa, the Seychelles and Australia (we replaced our Midway Atoll programme with the latter in March 2011). In Japan, the Project is headed up by Professor Yoshimi Suzuki from Shizuoka University's Graduate School of Science and Technology, who is one of the country's foremost authorities on coral research. The Project's research taking place in Japan focuses on the bleaching phenomenon and is conducted at Sesoko Station, which is operated by the University of the Ryukyus in Motobu, Okinawa.
In fiscal 2006, research began at both the Marine Protected Area of the United States' Midway Atoll and at the many-island nation of the Republic of Seychelles located in the Indian Ocean. The Midway programme came to an end in March 2011, and a new project in Australia's Great Barrier Reef has now begun. Similar to Japan, MC's role is working with a group of volunteers recruited from both inside and outside the MC organization to support research activities.
Okinawa
Okinawa is where Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) started its research of coral reefs in 2005. Professor Yoshimi Suzuki of Shizuoka University leads this project, which is a partnership between Shizuoka University, University of the Ryukyus and Earthwatch Japan (an international environmental NGO), to elucidate the causes and mechanism of the coral bleaching phenomenon, to conserve reef health, and to establish and disseminate scientific recovery methods. MC partakes in a program by which 10 volunteers are dispatched twice a year. The volunteers, half from MC and half from outside MC, take part in time-consuming manual tasks such as the sampling of ocean water, the studying of underwater topography, and the collecting of coral samples.
Details of the Okinawa Site:
| Project Partners: |
Shizuoka University University of the Ryukyus Earthwatch Japan |
|---|---|
| Project Leader: | Professor Yoshimi Suzuki, Shizuoka University |
| Project Site: | Okinawa |
| Research Focus: | Research into the causes of coral bleaching, methods of conservation and promotion of reef health and the establishment and dissemination of scientific recovery methods. |
Seychelles
There are about 300 to 350 species of coral in the Indian Ocean surrounding the Republic of Seychelles. In 1998, it was reported that 90% of coral found in the Seychelles had perished due to rising ocean temperatures resulting from an El Nino event.
Mitsubishi Corporation works in partnership with Earthwatch Europe and Dr. David Smith from the University of Essex (UK), who is working with the Seychelles Marine Parks Authority to explore the coastal and marine ecology of Curieuse Island. The island and its surrounding waters form one of six national Marine Parks, and research activities here involve the long-term monitoring of biodiversity, measuring rates of coral growth to determine how reef communities respond to environmental stress, and identifying the socio-economic implications of reduced coral diversity for dependent communities.
Details of the Seychelles Site:
| Project Partners: | Earthwatch Europe, University of Essex (UK)/Coral Reef Research Unit, Seychelles Centre for Marine Research and Technology - Marine Parks Authority |
|---|---|
| Project Leader: | Dr. David Smith, University of Essex (UK) |
| Project Site: | Curieuse Island, Republic of Seychelles Research has also been conducted on Desroches Island (2006), Silhouette Island (2007) and Praslin Island (socio-economic research from 2011) |
| Research Focus: | The diversity of reef associated habitats, observation and data collection on the current condition of the reefs surrounding Curieuse Island and exploration of coral tolerance to changing environmental conditions. |
Australia
From 2011, Mitsubishi Corporation has established a new coral reef project in Australia. Working in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and Earthwatch Australia, the aim is to conduct field research on the impact of black band diseases on coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef. In particular, we will be assessing the role of light, temperature and water quality on the disease progression, as well as any seasonal dynamics that may exist.
The first field work expedition is due to take place in March 2012.
Details of the Australia Site:
| Project Partners: | Earthwatch Australia, The Australian Institute of Marine Science |
|---|---|
| Project Leader: | Dr. David Bourne, of The Australian Institute of Marine Science |
| Project Site: | Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia |
| Research Focus: | The impact of black band disease on tropical coral reef ecosystems in the Great Barrier Reef, assessing in particular the role of light, temperature and water quality, as well as seasonal dynamics in relation to the progression of the disease |
