Carpe Diem Maldives has announced second marine conservation expedition in collaboration with Coral Reef CPR. The expedition will be held from the10th to the17th of September 2017.
Up to 20 recreational divers can join Chief Scientist Dr. Andrew Bruckner and his team of researchers as they conduct Crown of Thorns Starfish, COTS removal, quantitative reef surveys, and data analysis, according to Carpe Diem Maldives. Director of Marketing and Operations Agnes Van Linden said, they were thrilled to be part of this crucial marine environment research programme, conducting hands-on conservation to rescue and protect the reefs in The Maldives.
The first collaboration between Carpe Diem Maldives safari cruises and Coral Reef CPR saw a dedicated, crown of thorns starfish removal in May 2017, involving seventeen recreational divers from nine countries. Over a one-week period the Carpe Diem safari vessel collected a total of 900 COTS from 15 reefs on North and South Male' Atolls.
The team was able to remove all of the starfish seen on twelve of the reefs, while three reefs with larger outbreaks require additional return clean-up efforts to fully eradicate these predatory starfish.