Bio-Rock is a technology that uses low voltage electrical current on artificial underwater structures to encourage growth of Corals and other reef life. Experiments with the technology worldwide have shown that it can help counteract some of the difficult environmental factors affecting coral growth.
In conjunction with Save Koh Tao, Big Blue and a consortium of other dive schools launched a pilot project a few years ago to see if the technology would be successful here. The pilot project has been so successful that a new larger Bio-Rock was constructed in 2008.
Now that the structure is in situ, regular dives are scheduled to the site for two main reasons. The first is to continue to plant broken Coral pieces on the structure and the second is to continue to monitor the growth of the test subjects. When the structure was first finished, test subjects were placed on the structure and tagged so that their growth could be monitored. This information is collated by Marine Conservation Koh Tao for scientific purposes. When a dive group visits the structure, various data including photographs are taken and then forwarded to Marine Conservation Koh Tao.
For more information on the technology visit www.biorock.net or our conservation site www.bigblueconservation.com .
