M/V Jireh Grounding Site, Mona Island, Puerto Rico (2012)
Sea Ventures’ MRU assisted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with underwater coral reef restoration work in response to the grounding of the M/V Jireh at Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Our scientific divers assisted in the Aqua mapping of the reef area impacted by the grounding of the freighter and the restoration of impacted corals. Approximately 1,000 corals were removed during this response to prevent damage from anchors and cables. An additional 900 corals that were damaged during the response were reattached after the vessel was removed from the ecological reserve.
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force has recognized MRU’s Vice President Pedro Rodriguez for his “tireless efforts to mitigate the effects of small vessel groundings through effective and dedicated reef science” and for his “successful stabilization and restoration of thousands of dislodged corals in the Caribbean”.