Benefits of artificial reefs for post-bleaching coral recovery

With continued rising ocean temperatures and increasingly frequent bleaching events, a long-term study from Japan has offered a hopeful insight: corals on artificial reefs recover significantly faster than those on natural ones (Tanaya et al 2025). In Naha Port, corals placed on man-made structures had almost recovered to their pre-bleaching state within just six years of the major 1998 bleaching event, with the comparable nearby natural reef still yet to recover.

The study reinforces something that many (including our researchers and global partners) have begun to observe: we must actively support coral ecosystems, both by protecting what remains, and by creating the conditions for rapid, resilient regrowth of what has been lost.

At Operation Wallacea, we’re already seeing this proactive approach in action through our partnerships and projects in both Indonesia and Mexico.

In Indonesia, we’ve been working alongside local stakeholders to implement a number of the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (or “Reef Stars”). These are an innovative system of star-shaped structures designed to stabilize rubble fields and provide new surfaces for coral attachment. The stars are seeded with coral fragments and placed in degraded reef zones, with the aim of turning unstable areas into thriving coral gardens. Early signs from MARS’ global sites are promising, with coral cover and fish abundance steadily increasing in these restored zones. With the final installation for our Indonesia site completed by our team in last summer, we will wait to see the effect this will have in future years.

Photo by Molly Brown

Meanwhile, in Akumal, Mexico, we’ve begun monitoring reef restoration efforts led by CEA (Centro Ecológico Akumal), a local NGO taking steps to rehabilitate the reef systems near Akumal Bay. Their restoration strategies include the use of coral nurseries and direct outplanting, helping to repopulate areas devastated by bleaching and disease. Our collaboration focuses on bringing rigorous, long-term data collection to these efforts—ensuring that outcomes can be tracked and methods refined, informing the next stages of their restorative efforts.

Photo by Frankie Muir

Together, these initiatives are real-world examples that are reenforced by the findings from Tanaya’s study. They show that when artificial reef structures are implemented thoughtfully and monitored effectively, they can accelerate coral recovery and offer critical resilience in the face of a warming world.

Artificial reefs are not a cure-all. They cannot fully replicate the intricate structures and ecological interactions of natural reefs. But in the context of global decline, they represent a practical, science-backed intervention that can bridge the gap between collapse and recovery.

Photo by Molly Brown

What this research and our field experience tells us is clear: coral conservation must now go beyond protection. It must involve restoration. Strategic, science-led interventions—like Coral Stars in Indonesia and nursery projects in Mexico—are no longer experimental. They are essential.

We still need bold global action to tackle climate change. But in the meantime, we can support local communities, rebuild reef resilience, and preserve biodiversity—one reef structure at a time.