Groupers and corbs back in large numbers around Monaco
Corbs, also known as brown meagres, and groupers are protected species © Stéphane Jamme - Aquanaute Expertise
Two teams of divers carried out a census of the sea creatures off the Principality. Excellent news, says the AMPN.
The Monegasque coastline was combed thoroughly for a census of corbs and groupers organised by the Association Monégasque pour la Protection de la Nature (AMPN – Monegasque Association for the Protection of Nature), in partnership with the Club d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco (CESM – Monaco Underwater Exploration Club).
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Over and above the aspect of preserving these protected species, the project in Monaco’s Aire Marine Éducative (AME – Educational Marine Area) made it possible to carry out sampling through two groups of 17 divers each. To carry out the census, the divers were given a detailed presentation on the morphology, range, behaviour and reproduction of groupers and corbs, before being trained in the precise census protocol.
The results were rather encouraging, with over 80 groupers and around forty corbs. The presence of young individuals as well as large breeding adults confirms there is a breeding area.
Effective protection measures
To provide a pleasant living environment for the region’s marine species, the AMPN laid reefs made using a 3D printer in the Larvotto Marine Protected Area in 2017. Their environmentally responsible design, using Dolomite sand, mimics the complexity of natural habitats as closely as possible.
Jellyfish still around on Mediterranean coast
Scientific divers from Thalassa Marine research & Environmental awareness and Aquanaute Expertise regularly monitor the 3D reefs to document the presence of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Lately, they have noticed over 35 different fish species. The constant increase in the number and size of creatures shows just how important these protection efforts are!