Earlier this year, Seattle billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s yacht was blamed for destroying nearly 14,000 square feet of protected coral reef in the Cayman Islands. Vulcan, Allen’s investment company, announced today that they will help pay for rehabilitating the reef.
According to a joint statement from Vulcan and the Cayman Islands’ Department of Environment, emergency restoration work on the reef will begin on March 1 with financial help from Vulcan. In fact, Vulcan has already contracted Polaris Applied Sciences to work with the department on some of the most time-sensitive tasks.
“The DoE and Paul G. Allen are deeply committed to ocean health and conservation,” the statement reads. “Both the DoE and Vulcan have worked hard to ensure that this agreement reflects the best international standards for restoration of coral habitats.”
The damage was done when Allen’s 303-foot yacht, the Tatoosh, dragged an anchor through the reef. Initial news reports claimed that the yacht damaged 14,000 square feet of reef, but a statement from Vulcan said “media reports are greatly exaggerated.”
However, the yacht crew quickly worked to remove the damaging anchor and Vulcan has cooperated with authorities. Now, Vulcan and the DoE are working to clear damaged reefs, recreate lost structural elements and reattach still-living coral that was separated in the accident.
Allen’s philanthropic contributions to wildlife conservation and environmental causes are well documented. The Paul G. Allen Ocean Challenge, in fact, aims to find different approaches to curbing ocean acidification that destroys coral reefs.
After restoration plans are completed, the DoE will assume control of monitoring the ongoing success of the reef.
