Moorings for Viani Bay - Protect the Corals

Moorings for Viani Bay - Save the Corals to Save the Ocean 

To expand our efforts in coral farming and to protect the transplanted corals we are seeking  your support to set up moorings in Viani Bay. Once we transplant the corals from the nursery, their new homes need to be protected. Dive Academy Fiji will provide the man-power, dive equipment, boat, fuel etc. We are looking for YOUR support to fund the material for the moorings. Their usage will be free of charge for yachts visiting Viani Bay with no obligation towards Dive Academy Fiji. 



Background Information 

When setting up Dive Academy Fiji  in Viani Bay in 2017, we realised that the corals are damaged due to rising water temperatures and over-fishing. Jone´s local knowledge and negotiations with the local community led to the protection of Tivi Island, a reef within the bay of 1.4 km of length, in July 2018.  Under Jone´s lead, we started to set up  Rainbow Reef Coral Farm , a nursery to grow corals and giant clams which will be transplanted around Viani Bay once grown up. To involve and educate the local community, Marina teaches at the local Primary School about marine life and its conservation, including clean-ups of our beaches. Dive Academy Fiji is covering all the cost for the nursery and their maintenance, including boat, fuel, material and manpower. Our local staff gets paid their hourly salary when they work at the coral farm. We could not do this without the guests who book their dive and/or stay with us, come on a guided tour to the coral farm and we are grateful for the donations we received so far - financial support, providing material or T-Shirts for resell.




Outlook

We envision to further expand our marine conservation initiatives by setting up a Research Station to monitor
- coral health and growth, identification of coral species
- marine life in the bay (species, quantities)
- shark research: we regularly see baby black-tips in the bay and would love to know more about them
- manta research: identify the manta rays on the Rainbow Reef and in Rabi Island, find cleaning and breeding stations
-  expand our education program of locals about the marine eco-system at their door-step and how to protect it.

The objective is a cooperation with accredited Fijian research institutions, renowned marine biologists and international educational institutions (colleges, universities) 


Who we are

Jone Waitaiti, born 1976 in Taveuni, Fiji. PADI Scuba Diving and Freediving Instructor, 20 years of professional diving experience. Initiator of Clean-up Taveuni and the Rainbow Reef Coral Farm, co-founder/owner of Dive Academy Fiji


Marina Walser, born 1967 in Germany, PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Volunteer Teacher at the local Primary School, worked in International Management before setting up Dive Academy Fiji with the objective to engage in marine conservation and support the local community.