Our Mission
We aim to conserve and protect Cozumel’s coral reefs from the human damage caused by development projects, cruise ships, and climate change. As coral reefs die off around the world, we’re trying to save Mexico’s most beautiful and important natural treasure.
One Man’s Dream Started a Movement
Originally a veterinarian, Dr. German Mendez came to Cozumel from Mexico City in 1982 for the same reason as so many others – to learn to scuba dive! As he explored the underwater world of Cozumel, he fell in love with the corals and the animals that shelter in the reefs.
In 1994, the Mexican government threatened to build a cruise ship dock in the Cozumel Marine Park, which is supposed to be an environmentally protected area. Many residents of the island, including Dr. Mendez, came together to protest the development, but the government was unmoved.
As predicted, the cruise ship dock devastated the reef – killing almost 97% of the coral surrounding the docks. Dr. Mendez resolved to save what he could of the reef, leaving the island to complete a degree in marine biology at the prestigious Nova Southeastern University. He then returned to the island and founded the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program.
We hope Dr German’s one man fight to save the reefs in his backyard can inspire other people to join him, or spark other people to start new projects elsewhere.
Our Current Work
Originally, we focused on conserving and restoring the disappearing reef building Elkhorn and Staghorn corals. However, we have expanded to conserving and restoring all coral species endemic to Cozumel.
Starting with 16 platforms in 2017, we have expanded to 29 platforms today. Through our efforts, we’ve managed to replant over 10,000 coral fragments thus far!
We hope to scale our courses, volunteer and donation program so we can educate more volunteers, locals, students and tourists to stress the necessity of activism and conservation in preserving what we have left of the reef.
Also, with the threat of climate change, we hope to find ways to reduce bleaching deaths caused the warming oceans, and safeguard a stock of corals on land, buying the corals some time while humanity tries to solve climate change.
Volunteers Make It
All Possible
Volunteers are a key part of maintaing the coral nursery. Please come help!
Coral fragments are broken off from the reef by careless divers or boats or storms. Volunteers scour the area for these fragments, rescue them and replant them on our platforms where they can anchor and grow up safely into a new colony.
From the development of tourism, there is a lot of nutrients in the water. Volunteers help remove algae from the structures periodically to prevent the algae from smothering the corals. They also monitor coral health, water parameters and remove pests that eat the coral.
Also, any volunteer that takes a course with us helps fund the equipment and consumables (oxygen tanks, coral fixing epoxy, medicines) needed to empower the certified volunteers, interns and Dr. German to go out and help the reef.
Our Hope For The Future Generations
Passing the baton onto marine biologists of the future is also important to us. The CCRRP partners with several Mexican and international universities, conducting research projects that monitor coral growth and methods of conservation.
Studies have included using electrolysis to stimulate more coral growth, coating corals in antibiotics to combat the recent devastating outbreaks of coral diseases, and studying which symbiotic species can help coral resist certain environmental threats.
It is common to find marine biology students in the coral garden, collecting data or tending to the platforms as part of the CCRRP’s volunteer and internship program
