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Restoration consisted of securing loose branches of elkhorn coral to the reef with stainless steel wire and nails. A number of stabilization methods were tested to determine the best approach. Due to the density and hardness of the reef, the selected method consisted of drilling holes into the reef, driving nails into the holes, and wiring corals to the reef. Stainless steel materials were used to minimize corrosion and increase the importance of the repair effort. Plastic tie wraps were also used to secure smaller pieces of coral; however, the wave surge at the site loosened the tie wraps. As a result, corals that were secured with tie wraps were further stabilized with wire. This restoration was carried out by the Commonwealth and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This project cost $1.05 million.
Now that the reef was mending itself after help from NOAA, the ecosystem of Fortuna Reefer could go back to how it was. Some benefits that come along with this is that different species of marine animals will return to the reef and make their homes, tourists will start visiting once again, and companies based of the reef can make money.
The grounding of the Fortuna Reefer on the Acropora palmata reef at Pajaros was the third grounding in recent years. The first freighter has been left on the reef, slowly breaking apart as hurricanes pass by the site. The second grounding, the ferry Regina, was removed after several years. The Fortuna Reefer was removed within a week and the insurance gave 1.25 million dollars to NOAA for damage assessment and restoration. The NOAA photos available from their web site and a series of photographs by Morelock are shown.
Dewell, Dan. "Settlement Speeds Puerto Rico Coral Reef Repair." NOAA. 10 March 1997. Web.
"Fortuna Reefer." NOAA Photo Library. 30 September 2009. Web.
"Restoration Activities." Southeast Region. 15 February 2013. Web