SOAR deploys the first settlement collectors around New Providence Island

With support from the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, SOAR deployed settlement collectors at three locations around New Providence Island as part of establishing the first sea urchin nursery in The Bahamas. These collectors provide a suitable substrate for Diadema antillarum larvae to settle after their planktonic stage. Over time, the collectors develop a natural biofilm, which is known to support preferred settlement cues for Diadema larvae and other echinoids.

The collectors also include structural complexity with small crevices that provide refuge from environmental conditions and predators during early life stages. Settlement collectors are an important tool for understanding when and where larval Diadema are present and help inform future restoration strategies focused on rebuilding populations of this important herbivore.

We have already observed Diadema settlement at two of our offshore deployment sites and settlement of other echinoid species at the third location, demonstrating that the collectors are functioning as intended and supporting echinoid recruitment.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to expand our work in The Bahamas and improve our understanding of settlement dynamics for this keystone herbivore.