The Marine Environment Society (SAM) is leading this initiative in collaboration with the Vieques Conservation and History Trust.
The text printed over the images reads “most wanted,” but these are not fugitives. They are endangered corals — victims of the lasting effects of climate change that show no signs of easing. In response to this reality, the Marine Environment Society (SAM) and the Vieques Conservation and History Trust are doing everything in their power to save them.
The coral illustrations stamped with a “most wanted” label are part of an effort by SAM and the Trust to encourage citizens — such as fishers, diving guides, and others — to help identify in Vieques waters the species Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral), Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral), and Dendrogyra cylindrus (pillar coral), as part of the Coral Restoration Project on the Island of Vieques.
Mark Martin Bras, Field Research Director for the Trust, explained that as part of the initiative led by SAM, a coral nursery was established in the southern area of the island municipality in February 2025. There, they maintain “fragments of opportunity” — pieces of coral detached by wave action — along with small fragments collected from wild colonies of two species: Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata. These fragments allow new colonies to be created when replanted at other sites.
“This nursery method we’re using is like an extension of the natural process, especially for these two coral species. We’re using corals that we know can withstand high temperatures and that have shown at least some resistance to diseases that have hit them hard. These two corals are endangered and, in Florida last year, they were considered functionally extinct. So, this is a process of repopulating species that are now rarely found and also helping the bioluminescent bay slow the flow of water and rebuild a system that is becoming increasingly scarce,” explained marine biologist Hatuey Connelly Molina, lead diver for the Trust.
This initiative is part of a broader project to restore mangroves, seagrasses, and corals at the entrance of the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay Natural Reserve. Martin Bras said the initial goal of the coral fragment rescue effort is to restore the Novillo reef.
He added that Dendrogyra cylindrus was included in the identification call as a species of interest due to the severe damage it has suffered in recent years, although no fragments of this species are currently found in the nursery.
Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for the protection of marine biodiversity. They also act as natural coastal barriers, filter water, and support fishing and tourism for millions of people around the world.
According to SAM’s website, locating these species in Vieques waters has been challenging due to the “unprecedented coral mortality during the 2023 and 2024 coral bleaching events, associated with record extreme marine heat.” This marked the first time in history that the archipelago faced two consecutive years of mass bleaching and coral die-offs.
Despite the challenges, Connelly Molina celebrated that the team is close to reaching the first-year milestone of the initiative: achieving 500 coral fragments.
“The next stage, which should happen this year or toward the end of the year, is to begin planting around 1,000 fragments in the Novillo area — a short- and medium-term goal. This is obviously a project that will continue as long as climate change remains an issue, so there’s still a lot of work ahead. Vieques has some of the most critical reefs in Puerto Rico, so once we complete the Novillo area, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) plan for Vieques establishes Novillo and the bioluminescent bay as the first stage. The second stage, once this reef is functioning, is to begin identifying areas around southern Vieques that would benefit from planting Acropora palmata and cervicornis,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Martin Bras clarified that the SAM team — led by Dr. Edwin Hernández — is the group authorized to handle the corals as part of the initiative, while the Trust assists with activities such as maintaining the nursery. He added that alongside the growth of these species, a trained community of Vieques residents dedicated to conservation is also growing.
“It’s interesting to see that capacity is also being built within the community and that the community was involved from the very beginning. Part of community science is not scientists coming in and saying, ‘we’re going to do something big and beautiful’ and then holding a meeting afterward; part of it is including people from the design and conceptualization stage, and that was done here,” he emphasized.