When Typhoon Mawar struck Guam in May 2023 as a Category 4 storm, it caused extensive damage to coastal infrastructure, including the historic Glass Breakwater—a three-mile (five-kilometre) long World War II–era structure protecting Apra Harbor and Naval Base Guam. Emergency repairs were required to restore harbor protection and maintain U.S. Navy readiness. However, pre-construction surveys identified protected coral colonies growing in the proposed repair areas, temporarily halting in-water work.
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Marianas engaged our team to design and implement a rapid coral translocation program that would prevent coral loss while allowing critical repairs to the breakwater to proceed. Working under compressed schedules and challenging ocean conditions, our divers successfully translocated more than 700 coral colonies to a suitable nearby recipient site, creating new reef habitat and meeting regulatory mitigation requirements. This included relocating 22 colonies of Acropora globiceps, a species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The translocations had a 98 percent coral survival rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of our science-based methods and field expertise.
In parallel, we also removed cryptogenic soft coral species, targeting organisms that threaten coral reef ecosystems, native biodiversity, and coastal infrastructure. Integrating this cryptogenic removal with coral monitoring and habitat restoration reduces ecological stressors, improves reef resilience, and supports healthier marine environments.
Our team continues to provide multiyear coral maintenance and monitoring, tracking survival, growth, and overall reef health. Monitoring provides valuable data to support adaptive management and future restoration efforts across the region.
Overall, this project balances environmental protection with infrastructure resilience, supporting regulatory compliance, and long-term stewardship across Guam and the Indo-Pacific region.
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