SINGAPORE, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Singapore on Tuesday launched a project to restore 100,000 corals, starting with the cultivation of coral fragments in six specialized tanks on St. John's Island off the southern coast, according to local media reports.

These tanks, capable of holding up to 3,600 coral fragments, or nubbins, will produce up to 10,000 corals annually. Over the next decade and beyond, the matured corals will be transplanted onto degraded reefs and vacant seabeds to establish new reef ecosystems.

Initially spearheaded by researchers, the project will soon involve public participation, with members trained to grow and maintain the corals.

Singapore's coral reefs, home to 250 species of hard corals and a wealth of marine life, have suffered significant degradation over the years.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, speaking at the launch, described the effort as a complex task requiring precise control of lighting, temperature, water quality, and flow to suit each coral species, as reported by the local newspaper The Straits Times. Enditem

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