Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) recognises that there is an increasing awareness and demand for primary and compensatory restoration when important habitats such as reefs are impacted by dredging.

For example, in just the last year alone we have been asked to quote and/or be involved in reef restoration projects connected to dredging in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jamaica, and Hawaii. We believe we are seeing a global progression from the impact assessments and environmental management plans (EMP) that reduce impacts to plans that include additional actions in the form of coral reef restoration or compensation for ecological services lost.

The challenge for dredging companies (or the project consultants) is determining What form of coral restoration is possible (technically, financially, ecologically), What should be done, and Who can do it.

An additional challenge is presented by the fact that restoring coral reefs or constructing effective reefs usually requires a range of products/technologies yet the majority of providers are committed to only one product/technology and this can increase costs, complicate contracts, cause delays and limit the effectiveness of restoration.

SOI has been established to specifically help dredging projects satisfy reef restoration or compensation demands. SOI is the only company that provides a range of proven technologies for constructing artificial reefs and restoring natural reefs.

How SOI can help you

SOI works closely with your team to evaluate your Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Environmental Management Plans (EMP) and relevant project limitations to develop cost effective strategies(eg coral management plans) to reduce or restore marine impacts to reefs.  We have worked directly for permitting agencies, environmental impact consultancies and major engineering consultancies therefore bring an understanding of each side’s needs.

We provide customised services to meet your needs, as well as:

• Detailed site surveys to quantify the potential or actual damage to reefs
• Preparation of mitigation plans for environmental approval / permits (eg Coral Relocation Plans, Coral Management Plans, Coral Preservation Plans)
• Independent reviews and advice for Environmental Management Plans (EMP), Best Management Practice (BMP) and/or Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
• Coral relocation and propagation
• Coral reef restoration and/or enhancement
• Designed artificial reefs to compensate for loss of natural rocky outcrops or coral reefs, enhance fisheries, enhance seawalls/breakwaters
• International project management
• Silt curtain design, installation and management
• Marine impact monitoring and reporting

We have demonstrated experience in delivering support for dredging projects – and have even worked within a tight 12-day timeframe to successfully relocate coral reefs out of harms way before a construction project in the Middle East.  Read more

Learn more about our dredging programs

Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) recognises that sun-and-sand tourism has matured as a market and ecotourism has been growing at 20-34% per year since the 1990’s – three times faster than the tourism industry as a whole. Sustainable tourism has been predicted to equal 25% (US$473.6 billion) of the world’s travel market by 2012.

Over 60% of US and Australian tourists, and 90% of British tourists consider a hotel responsible for protecting the local environment and supporting local communities. Tourism is the second most important source of foreign exchange for 40 of the world’s poorest countries. Of the 109 countries with coral reefs, 90 of them are being damaged due to tourism (The International Ecotourism Society, 2009).

Our core belief: tourism can be a tool for reef preservation.

To respond to this growing market and urgent attention reefs need we have created a customizable program called TIDES that resorts can implement to increase guest (and employee) satisfaction, increase revenue, support the local community and protect or even restore local reefs.

TIDES is a social enterprise taking a creative sustainable approach to tourism.  Responding to the increasing desire of tourists to truly experience the culture and environment when they travel, TIDES includes a series of programs that provide them with the opportunity to both interact with and support the marine ecosystems and culture within the region.  The concept is to change the Tide so tourism becomes a tool for coral reef preservation rather than its adversary.  These self-funding experiences enhance the environment, educate the participants, and instill a feeling of pride for everyone involved.  The ocean is our classroom and every adventure is a lesson!

How SOI can help you

Our team of experts will review your needs and prepare recommended programs of opportunity for your selection. We then work with you at a level that you choose to effectively implement and run the programs. Our Team has direct experience of working within the Tourism industry for major hotels, launching and running their own ecotours and working with NGOs.

One of our key strengths is that we have a unique combination of business development experience (this helps us design effective self funding programs for you and understand the business needs of resorts), scientific understanding of reef restoration and practical hands-on experience.

The benefits of our programs include:

• Memorable marine activities for guests that also conserve the reef
• Increased guest satisfaction
• Positive contributions to the marine environment and local community - promoting goodwill for the resort
• Conservation of surrounding reefs for long term sustainability
• Creation of new reefs to increase opportunities and reduce pressure on natural reefs

>> Learn more about our tourism program

>>Checkout our Reef Restoration Activity Sheet # 1, designed for kid programs in resorts - meet Ari, Roy and Bazzer, three enthusiastic reef characters ready to tell you all about their life on the reef!

Help Ari and Roy smile by giving them some colour like Jamie did from the Philippines!

Planning a marina?

The following presentation provides a few suggestions of how marinas can increase their value by capitalising on the structure they put below the waterline and maintain or enhance important marine biodiversity.

Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) understands the increasing responsibility on rig and pipeline projects to minimise negative impacts on reefs and compensate for loss of ecological services created by those impacts.

The challenge for oil and gas companies (or their project consultants) is determining what form of restoration is possible (technically, financially, ecologically), what should be done, and who can do it. An additional challenge is that restoring or constructing effective reefs usually requires a range of products/technologies yet the majority of providers are committed to only one product/technology and this can increase costs, complicate contracts, cause delays and limit the effectiveness of restoration.

SOI has been established to specifically help infrastructure projects satisfy reef restoration or compensation demands. SOI is the only company that provides a range of proven technologies for the task.

How SOI can help you

Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) provides specialised services to meet the growing demand for compensatory or primary restoration of reefs. Our team has the experience to contribute to your project’s success and experience of working directly for the oil and gas industry. Customised services are available, including:

• Detailed site surveys to quantify the potential or actual damage to reefs
• Preparation of mitigation plans for environmental approval / permits
• Independent reviews and advice for Environmental Management Plans (EMP), Best Management Practice (BMP) and/or Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
• Coral relocation and propagation
• Coral reef restoration and/or enhancement
• Designed artificial reefs to compensate for loss of natural rocky outcrops or coral reefs, enhance fisheries, enhance pipelines
• International project management
• Silt curtain design, installation and management
• Marine impact monitoring and reporting

Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd recognises the role of government in protecting the marine environment for long-term sustainability. We believe there is a global shift where governments are increasingly requesting that primary and compensatory restoration be considered or included when important habitats such as reefs, mangroves or seagrass meadows are impacted by coastal development.

For example, in 2009-2010  we have been contacted regarding reef restoration projects connected to infrastructure projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jamaica, and Hawaii. We believe we are seeing a global move from the impact assessments and environmental management plans (EMP) that reduce impacts to plans that include additional actions in the form of restoration or compensation for ecological services lost.

Advances in technology and methods now make marine impact restoration and mitigation feasible in almost every situation. It is standard practice for terrestrial based industries like mining to rehabilitate their impacted sites and the trend is now moving to impacts below the waterline. Coastal development is currently not designed to maximize benefits below the waterline and this represents significant missed opportunity given the expense of construction.

The challenge for Governments and NGO’s (or the project consultants) is determining:

• What form of restoration is possible (technically, financially, ecologically)
• What should be done, and
• Who can do it ?

An additional challenge is presented by the fact that restoring or constructing effective reefs usually requires a range of products/technologies yet the majority of providers are committed to only one product/technology and this can increase costs, complicate contracts, cause delays and limit the effectiveness of restoration.

SOI has been established to specifically help infrastructure projects achieve ‘better design below the waterline’ and satisfy reef restoration or compensation demands.

SOI is the only company that provides a range of proven technologies for the task.

We have Team Members that have worked within Government and NGO’s, therefore we bring to projects an understanding of Government/NGO requirements.

How SOI can help you

We have demonstrated experience working with local, state and territory governments across Australia and internationally.  Our consultants have decades of experience in marine science and can design innovative strategies to conserve reefs as close as possible to the former natural state.

We provide a comprehensive range of services, as well as:

• Independent advice of the feasibility and effectiveness of proposed reef restoration/compensation plans
• Preparation of reef restoration/compensation plans
• Coral relocation and propagation
• Coral reef restoration and/or enhancement
• Designed artificial reefs to compensate for loss of natural rocky outcrops or coral reefs, enhance fisheries (including recreational fishing reefs), enhance seawalls/breakwaters or jetties
• ‘Better design below the waterline’. Recommendations of how coastal infrastructure can be cost effectively designed to increase biodiversity or target species
• Marine impact monitoring and reporting

We look forward to working with you to achieve your marine conservation objectives; please contact us for more information or to arrange a consultation.

The media and scientific community have been regularly reporting on the degradation of natural reefs, overfishing and the reduction in fish stocks caused by unprecedented coastal development and the potential negative impacts of climate change.   Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) understands the increasing demand on fisheries to  manage catch rates and sustain biodiversity and fish stocks in an increasingly fragile marine environment. Artificial reefs and improved habitat are tools used internationally to manage these challenges and are the tools that we specialise in. We have been constructing artificial reefs since 1991.

SOI recently won a two year contract with PHE Gulf to design, construct and monitor ten artificial reefs around Bahrain in order to increase fish stocks and offset loss of essential fish habitat.

>>Click here for Bahrain newspaper article in Arabic

>>Click here for Bahrain project info and photos of deployment

How SOI can help you

Sustainable Oceans International Pty Ltd (SOI) supports fisheries by providing international experience on the design and construction of artificial reefs and habitat enhancement as well as the supply of artificial reef modules. SOI provides reef design and construction for recreational fishing reefs, deep water reefs for pelagic fishes, anti-trawl reefs, enhancement of coastal structures, or alternative fishing spots within or near Marine Protected Areas.

Our experts have worked with Fisheries Victoria and the Department of Industry & Investment New South Wales to provide effective recreational fishing reefs.

We have a range of services available, below are some services relevant to fisheries:

• Range of artificial reef modules (15kg to 3+ tonnes) to suit target species and application
• Anti trawl reefs
• Recreational or commercial fishing reef design
• Setup of Voluntary No Take Areas in island cultures
• Monitoring – Baited Underwater Video (BUV), otoliths as biomarkers, hydroacoustic survey

>> Download our Tech Note: Designing Artificial Reefs and Cities - the shared principles

>> Download our Tech Note: ADAM - 4 fundamental stages in artificial reef construction