Coral Farm: culturing ecological corals for commercial purposes


As an expert in the culture and husbandry of corals, Blue Linked was partner in the Coral Farm project of EcoDeco. In 2009 this Dutch company obtained funding for the Coral Farm project from the Small Business Innovation Research programme of Agentschap NL (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation).

The aim of the Coral Farm project was to examine the possibility to culture corals in a sustainable and ecological way for commercial purposes in the Netherlands. In addition, the project offered opportunities for scientific research, concerning the effect of different light conditions to the growth of a range of coral species. The results of the study are published in Advanced Aquarist.
The Coral Farm project ended succesfully in 2012. Notwithstanding the positive results of the project, the present conditions on the Dutch market are considered to be insufficient to continue the efforts of culturing corals in a commercial way.
Cultured coral Caulastrea curvata (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).
Cultured coral Caulastrea curvata (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).
 Cultured coral Euphyllia paraancora (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).
Cultured coral Euphyllia paraancora (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).
 Cultured coral Hydnophora sp. (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).
Cultured coral Hydnophora sp. (photo: M. Laterveer-de Beer).