Coastal communities around the world depend on fish for food, nutrition and livelihoods. However, coral reefs supporting healthy fish populations, are under threat from unsustainable human activity.

Since 2013, Australia through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been supporting the Philippines to explore innovative ways to restore coral reefs. Researchers from Australia’s Southern Cross University and the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute have been working together on one of the world’s first large-scale restoration of damaged reefs using coral larval reseeding in Northern Luzon.

This innovative research has seen ground-breaking results, with reefs the size of swimming pools restored and fish returning to their natural habitat, improving local food security in many coastal communities.