The Endangered cauliflower soft coral (Dendronephthya australis) experienced significant declines across its range as a result of the major flood events in both 2021 and 2022. In just the past 5 years, it has experienced a decline of 99% in the Port Stephens estuary which was previously the only location where it occurred in large abundance. Since 2021, NSW DPIRD - Fisheries have been implementing a research program to grow the soft corals in aquaria and transplant them back into the wild. More recently, the program has been successful in using IVF techniques to rear coral larvae which can be released back into the wild.
This program will develop and refine methods to rear soft corals in captivity for transplanting back into the wild. Trials will be implemented to develop methods to improve transplant success and help improve their survival in the wild, such as the addition of predator exclusion cages placed over the transplanted soft corals and larvae.
