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Planète Mer
A coral reef preservation program in Indonesia
BiodiversityInternational solidarityInternational
With 15 €,
Planète Mer finances:
1 m² of protected coral reefs
5,818 €15,000 €
719 Captains
Challenge
Between 1970 and 2010, 25% of coral reefs, considered to be the world's richest ecosystems in terms of biodiversity, have been destroyed. On their good health depends the health of the oceans, but also of the populations who live off them.
Reef restoration is therefore essential, for its ecological benefits and for the socio-economic elevator it provides to local populations, 40% of whom live below the poverty line ($2/day). Placing local populations at the heart of restoration action in a sustainable way is therefore key.
Reef restoration is therefore essential, for its ecological benefits and for the socio-economic elevator it provides to local populations, 40% of whom live below the poverty line ($2/day). Placing local populations at the heart of restoration action in a sustainable way is therefore key.
Solution
Yaf Keru is an ambitious local development program, in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, around the protection and restoration of 3 to 5 ha of coral reefs by the end of 2025. The rehabilitation of 1 ha of coral reefs damaged by dynamite fishing should restore numerous fishing resources in the first year of the project.
The project should enable "coral gardeners" to take hold of the socio-economic value of coral reefs and the undeniable link between the health of the reefs and their communities by providing them with competitive wages.
The project should enable "coral gardeners" to take hold of the socio-economic value of coral reefs and the undeniable link between the health of the reefs and their communities by providing them with competitive wages.


Recent result
The pilot phase conducted in 2018-2019 demonstrated the feasibility of the restoration and showed its ecological and social impact on the area with 500m² of corals restored and 750m² protected, more than 5000 corals transplanted, with a survival rate at 88% and growth at 2 cm/month.
The money will be used for
The amount raised will be used to purchase the necessary diving equipment and pay the coral gardeners in the villages located on the project in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Goal
Restore and protect 0.5 to 1 ha /year of coral reefs from the very first year. More often than not, restoring 1ha of reef in the upper part protects 1ha in the lower part by stopping the "avalanche" phenomenon of dead coral debris.
137 avenue Clot Bey, 13008 MARSEILLE, France
Planète Mer works to protect marine life and the human activities that depend on it.
Planète Mer is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 in Marseille. Its mission is to work together to restore a sustainable balance between marine life and human activities. This is the challenge of the 21st century: to reconcile respect for fundamental natural balances with economic and social development.
Our mode of action:
- Build concrete solutions on the ground, that can be reproduced in other territories and taken up and implemented by public policies (French, European or International - ODD)
- Involve stakeholders: citizens, fishermen, local populations, scientists, elected representatives...
- All while maintaining an approach based on strong values : Respect, Optimism and Cooperation
- Build concrete solutions on the ground, that can be reproduced in other territories and taken up and implemented by public policies (French, European or International - ODD)
- Involve stakeholders: citizens, fishermen, local populations, scientists, elected representatives...
- All while maintaining an approach based on strong values : Respect, Optimism and Cooperation
Planète Mer acts in 3 areas:
-Protection of marine biodiversity, with citizens
- Management of fishing resources, with Fishermen
- Restoration of degraded environments, with local populations
-Protection of marine biodiversity, with citizens
- Management of fishing resources, with Fishermen
- Restoration of degraded environments, with local populations

Protecting Coral Reefs
YAF KERU "Coral Garden" is an ambitious local development program, in Indonesia, around the protection and restoration of 5 ha of coral reefs over the next 3 years.
Coral reefs are considered to be the world's richest ecosystems in terms of biodiversity. The health of the oceans, but also of the people who live in them, depends on their good health. The main objective of YAF KERU is to restore these reefs in a particularly resilient area, placing local populations at the heart of the action in a sustainable manner.
The program underwent a pilot phase between 2016 and 2020 that tested, demonstrated the feasibility of restoration and demonstrated its ecological and social impact on the area.
Since mid-2023, it has entered a phase of accelerating its impact by extending the number of hectares restored and multiplying the number of sites.
Coral reefs are restored by local "Coral Gardeners", using coral fragments that are cut and attached to submerged metal structures in key areas. By restoring and stabilizing the substrate at the top of the slope, we prevent the reef at the bottom from being buried by dead coral and coral debris.
By restoring 1ha on the upper part, it's at least 1 hectare protected on the lower part.
By restoring 1ha on the upper part, it's at least 1 hectare protected on the lower part.
YAF KERU is co-sponsored by The Sea people, the local association in charge of the project's field deployment, and Planète Mer scientific communications and background research partner.
18 € ꓿ 1m² reef restored + 1m² additional reef protected
18 € ꓿ 1m² reef restored + 1m² additional reef protected
Your help is precious, thank you for your support!!
Welcome to Raja Ampat in West Papua with Planète Mer and local NGO The Sea People
Beautiful progress regarding coral reef restoration, thanks to the YAF KERU program.
A magnificent video is available!!! (link below)In this video you'll be able to discover :
- the "Coral Gardeners" at work → 1 hectare of reef has been restored while protecting 1 hectare of primary, pristine reef ;
- spectacular images → coral reef before restoration and 29 months later.
The aim is to begin a change of scale for the YAF KERU program, so the challenge is to accelerate and reach 5 hectares of restoration. The Sea People boat, the new logistics platform, will enable this change of scale to begin.
18 € ꓿ 1m² of reef restored + 1m² of additional reef protected
Your help is precious thank you for your support!!!
A big thank you to all the Captains who support us!
Some news about our YAF KERU program:
YAF KERU ("Coral Garden" in the local Papuan language) is an ambitious local development program, in Indonesia, around the protection and restoration of 5 hectares of coral reefs over 3 years.YAF KERU is being developed in the heart of the world's most diverse coral reef zone, in the Indonesian province of Raja Ampat, where over 550 species of coral have been recorded. YAF KERU's main objective is to restore these reefs in a particularly resilient area, placing local populations at the heart of the action in a sustainable manner. The health of coral reefs depends on the health of the oceans and the people who live on them.
YAF KERU ("Coral Garden" in the local Papuan language) is an ambitious local development program, in Indonesia, around the protection and restoration of 5 hectares of coral reefs over 3 years.YAF KERU is being developed in the heart of the world's most diverse coral reef zone, in the Indonesian province of Raja Ampat, where over 550 species of coral have been recorded. YAF KERU's main objective is to restore these reefs in a particularly resilient area, placing local populations at the heart of the action in a sustainable manner. The health of coral reefs depends on the health of the oceans and the people who live on them.
YAF KERU news:
● Surface restored: > 8475m²
● Number of structures involved: 152 structures (2070m²) of stabilizing mesh
● Number of structures involved: 152 structures (2070m²) of stabilizing mesh
● Number of corals transplanted : > 21307
● Survival rate of transplanted corals: 75 to 93% depending on site (84% average), with mortality mainly caused by inter-species competition (sponges, algae, ascidians, octocorals) in the first 6 months of installation
● Growth rate: reaches 2cm/month for Acropora sp. And Montipora sp probably thanks to the excellent water circulation in the bay hosting the project
● Diversity: at least 76 species phenotypes of transplanted corals
● Monitoring set up to regularly evaluate the project
● 7 jobs created of local community members
● Currently training 3 coral gardeners and 3 divers
● 5 work-study students have submitted a dissertation (3 valedictorians)
● Survival rate of transplanted corals: 75 to 93% depending on site (84% average), with mortality mainly caused by inter-species competition (sponges, algae, ascidians, octocorals) in the first 6 months of installation
● Growth rate: reaches 2cm/month for Acropora sp. And Montipora sp probably thanks to the excellent water circulation in the bay hosting the project
● Diversity: at least 76 species phenotypes of transplanted corals
● Monitoring set up to regularly evaluate the project
● 7 jobs created of local community members
● Currently training 3 coral gardeners and 3 divers
● 5 work-study students have submitted a dissertation (3 valedictorians)