Bahamas News
Hybrid Corals Could Hold the Key to Reef Restoration
Bahamas-based research says there are many factors to consider
#TheBahamas, September 9, 2021 – With nearly 27 percent of the world’s coral reefs lost to destructive events and stressors, a newly released study suggests hybridization – a mesh of different species – could save one of the world’s most important and threatened marine ecosystems.
Research published in the journal, Frontiers in Marine Science, found a naturally occurring hybrid coral and its fragmented sections are more resilient and grow rapidly in comparison to its parental species. The study suggests restoration managers use the hybrid, commonly called fused staghorn coral, to outplant degraded reefs and increase the scale of coral nursery projects.
“Coral restoration research by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) and its partners demonstrates how we can bring back populations of critically endangered coral species in The Bahamas and help them adapt to their changing climate to prevent them from going extinct,” said Dr Craig Dahlgren, PIMS’ executive director who’s an expert in tropical marine ecosystems.
In the study, “Should Hybrids Be Used in Coral Nurseries?” PIMS identified hybrids’ untapped potential, alongside researchers from Florida’s Nova Southeastern University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The study was conducted at three nurseries on Great Stirrup Cay in the Berry Islands from June 2018 to July 2019.
The problem with coral reef ecosystems lie in their decades long decline due to rising sea temperatures, increased disease prevalence, pollution, overfishing, climate change and the like. Finding ways of protecting these natural resources is critical to the continuity of life around the world.
That’s because coral reefs host a range of ecologically and commercially important marine species. They are essential nursery grounds for numerous fish and invertebrates. They protect coastlines from storm damage and support an extensive tourism industry for many island nations like The Bahamas.
To facilitate coral reef recovery and increase abundance and genetic diversity, many conservation organizations throughout the Caribbean create and maintain coral nurseries, sheltered areas for corals to grow faster away from the reef and predators. In this “coral gardening” method, nursery grown reefs are transferred to the ocean during large-scale restoration efforts. PIMS and its coral restoration branch, the Reef Rescue Network, manages 27 coral nurseries on islands in The Bahamas alone.
The study investigated factors that may influence growth and survival of threatened Caribbean coral species and their naturally occurring hybrid at the Reef Rescue Network’s Berry Islands’ nurseries in central Bahamas. One of the study’s main funders, Norwegian Cruise Line, maintains these private nurseries for conservation and research with Nova Southeastern University. 
Researchers found nursery locations with optimal depth, moderate water flow, some light and a limited range of temperatures will likely lead to the most successful coral fragment survival and growth.
Of the initial 157 fragments, 66 (or 42 percent) survived to the end of the 13-month study period. For those that didn’t survive, most were lost at the beginning of the research, likely due to the shock of relocation.
The research was the first to examine differences in the survival and growth between the parents and the hybrid of Caribbean acroporid corals in a nursery setting, along with differences among coral fragment placed in the same locations.
“For coral species that are on the verge of extinction in The Bahamas, growing corals in nurseries is a viable means of preserving genetics, repopulating reefs with these species, and providing habitat to the abundance of life that depends on coral reefs,” said Dr Dahlgran who along with his staff helped to obtain permits for the project, assisted with scouting and setting up nursery sites, coral collections and transportation to the nurseries.
While the parental species have been in decline, the hybrid has persisted on many reefs in the Caribbean with equal or increased abundance, better survival, and equal or less susceptibility to disease and other environmental pressures.
Scientists are therefore convinced “the benefits of including fast-growing hybrid coral to quickly increase reef structure likely outweighs the potential long-term drawbacks.”
Nevertheless, there is at least one concern. Hybrids could potentially reduce genetic diversity since their quick growth and resilience might disrupt the natural order of things.
“Concerns about genetic swamping of the parental species on evolutionary scales must not outweigh the immediate ecological need for shallow coral reefs, particularly when the state of coral reefs is dire,” the report read.
Researchers believe coral species separated by habitat type and depth could help mitigate this potential problem. The study recommended, “outplanting A. prolifera to shallow back reef areas, A. palmata along reef crests, and A. cervicornis to deeper reef slopes.” Prolifera is the hybrid. Palmata is the critical endangered elkhorn coral and cervicornis is the staghorn coral; both of which are the hybrid’s parents.
The research also noted a major difference between parents and hybrid.
“The hybrid is likely to reach outplanting goals by quickly increasing coral biomass and reef structure, albeit the fused branches of the hybrid taxon may provide a different ecological service than the parental species,” the report read.
“For example, the structure of A. palmata serves as a place for larger fish and invertebrates to live and hide. In contrast, the hybrid’s fused branches are more compact, and may be more beneficial to the smaller fish and invertebrates.”
Photo Caption: New research published in the journal, Frontiers in Marine Science, was the first to examine differences in the survival and growth between the parents and the hybrid of Caribbean acroporid corals in a nursery setting. Pictured here is a closer look at the nursery line. The parent species, Acropora palmata (right middle), is ideal for larger fish and invertebrates to live and hide. In contrast, the hybrid’s more compact, fused branches (left) are better suited to smaller fish and invertebrates.
Photo courtesy of PIMS via Precision Media
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Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
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