Coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented die-offs worldwide, and it’s critical to restore them with resilient and genetically diverse corals that have the best chances to survive and reproduce. However, scientists can only do that if our native corals don’t disappear first. To protect the living treasure of coral genetic diversity, Mote has created a unique, large-scale, land-based, living coral genetic bank where dozens of coral genotypes (genetic varieties) of all coral species can be stored in triplicate.
Mote’s International Coral Gene Bank is located at Mote Aquaculture Research Park in eastern Sarasota County, Florida. The primary goal of the “Gene Bank” is to hold up to 50 diverse genotypes of each of the 60+ coral species endemic to Florida. The Gene Bank also currently holds critically endangered corals from the Southern Caribbean with plans to expand holding to corals from around the world. The gene bank’s facilities currently consist of a large coral holding facility where the majority of the coral representatives are maintained in aquaria, a spawning room used to create new coral babies for restoration, a quarantine area, a cryobank for preserving sperm, and a deep sea octocoral holding room.
Mote’s International Coral Gene Bank is located at Mote Aquaculture Research Park in eastern Sarasota County, Florida.
