Koh Tao is a busy island with more and more boats gracing its shores every year. Installing and maintaining mooring lines for these vessels is one of the most important reef conservation projects. In places like Koh Tao with so many boats visiting the island for snorkelling and diving, mooring lines protect precious reef environments preventing boats from dropping anchors to park.

Project Aware, PADI’s non-profit marine conservation foundation has been a big supporter of mooring buoy projects in Koh Tao and around the world citing moorings should be one of the main priorities in reef environments.

This year raw materials have taken a while to come through from suppliers but thankfully we have received a huge delivery of rope and mooring balls that now needs attention. Volunteers from Eco Koh Tao & Crystal Dive joined with Marine Conservation Koh Tao to help arrange the lines and set them up ready for deployment. It is a big job and requires knowledge of some basic knots and a lot of patience.

Despite numerous mooring lines already in existence on Koh Tao, many boats still use anchors on a regular basis. This is a practice Environmental Awareness & Action Manager, Nathan Cook believes should not be condoned in an area where the reefs provide so much economic benefit to the community.

“Most people think that to install a mooing line you simply go out and tie a rope onto some rock and its done but there is much more to it that that” Mr Cook said. “We are working to ensure they are developed and installed properly to last and to prevent damage to the environment when deployed. ”

It was hot day and after a few hours in the sun it was time to call it quits for now. A lot was accomplished on the dady but with so much raw material it will be an ongoing job and hopefully we’ll see less anchors being used as a result. T

hanks especially to those who helped out on the day from Eco Koh Tao & Crystal Dive: Tracey Uber-Cook, Kailash Cook, Pierre Ingmarsson, Jenny Dowling and all the crew from New Heaven Dive.

Project Aware www.projectaware.org

Marine Conservation Koh Tao www.marineconservationkohtao.com

Save Koh Tao www.savekohtao.com

Crystal Dive www.crystaldive.com

Eco Koh Tao www.ecokohtao.com