Build a Reef (BAR) is a marine conservation and reef enhancement program aimed at rehabilitating damaged or barren reef areas brought about by destructive fishing practices and natural events, such as, typhoons, storm surges and tsunamis. The program involves installing a network of simple, low-cost reef enhancement structures (RES) that will provide a suitable substrate for the growth of new coral communities and other living organisms and will serve as habitat for settlement, refuge, nursery, forage and breeding purposes. The program also involves skill trainings on BAR’s technique, marine environmental education awareness, development of IEC materials and other marine environment projects.

Build a Reef’s RES are designed using concrete hollow block (CHB) material which is ideal for many reasons.  Concrete is a material that is very close in composition to natural coral limestone, with excellent surfaces for settlement of algae, corals, sponges and other reef organisms.  It is also strong, inexpensive, readily available, and can be made into nearly any shape or size. It is stable and lasts for a long time under the sea. The holes or spaces in each concrete block will provide shelter and protection for small or juvenile fishes and invertebrates. The use of a simple structural design and low-cost local materials for the RES will enable local communities to maintain and replicate these structures in the future without external assistance or intervention. 

Unlike specialized expensive heavy concrete reef structures, the RES when assembled on land, can be transported by paddle boats to the selected site. Our sustenance fishermen can readily deploy these modules without much expense,  time and effort.