Pushing the boundaries of coral reef monitoring

In May in Aqaba, the Transnational Red Sea Centre successfully completed the implementation in Jordan of the Coral Reef Monitoring Toolbox (CRMT) it has developed with key partners at Ecole polytechnique fédérale in Lausanne (EPFL) and its sister school in Zurich (ETHZ). This achievement is the result of a fruitful collaboration with the Aqaba Marine Reserve (AMR) and represents a significant milestone towards further use of this groundbreaking methodology based on, and adapted to, the specific needs of local users and beneficiaries.

Earlier this year, after consulting the AMR team to understand its needs for enhancing coral reef monitoring efforts, the TRSC started to test the CRMT first on one long-term site, the King Abdullah Reef. Operating independently for five months afterwards, the AMR team rigorously used the method and generated cutting-edge data – which are right now easily actionable by decision-makers.

In May, after gathering critical feedback from the AMR, the TRSC with its local partner collectively perfected the approach and expanded the deployment of the CRMT to two additional sites. Now, the enhanced monitoring program tracks coral cover and health, biodiversity, environmental conditions, and water quality across an impressive 3,600 m² in record-breaking time, setting a new standard for marine ecosystem observation and conservation in the Red Sea and beyond.