Ocean Boomboxes Revive Dying Jamaican Coral Reefs

Beneath the waters off Jamaica's northern coast, a unique mission is underway to rescue a dying coral reef. Artist Marco Barotti is leading a team installing waterproof speakers on the seafloor, playing recorded sounds of a healthy reef for 14 hours daily.

This initiative is rooted in research indicating that sound can revive struggling marine ecosystems. A healthy reef is a vibrant soundscape, while dying reefs grow silent. Fish and coral organisms use sound to navigate, so reintroducing these sounds aims to attract them back.

Studies, like one on the Great Barrier Reef, have shown that playing healthy reef sounds can double fish populations and increase species diversity in degraded areas within weeks. This is vital as coral reefs, covering only 1% of the ocean floor, support 25% of all marine life and protect coastlines.

However, global coral reefs have declined by approximately half since 1950 due to pollution and the climate crisis. Warming oceans lead to marine heatwaves and coral bleaching, leaving them vulnerable. This sound project complements the efforts of the local Alligator Head Foundation and researchers growing coral fragments in labs for assisted reproduction.