Octocorals are important components of many reef benthic communities, and efforts to restore populations following damage events and relocating colonies preceding permitted activities is becoming part of regulatory processes. Because many octocorals have regenerative capabilities ideal for removing branch clippings (fragments), they may make excellent donors, sources of transplants, for restoration efforts. This study examined the effect of fragment size, fragmentation timing, and transplantation on the survivorship, growth, and fecundity of Eunicea flexuosa clippings and donor colonies. Eunicea flexuosa clippings 20 cm in height were transplanted to a ship grounding site offshore southeast Florida in April 2010 and November 2010. Data collected during the June through September spawning months in 2010 and 2011 revealed high survivorship among all transplants (85%), however partial mortality from encrustation by bio-fouling organisms ensued. Growth rates among donor colonies was high. The fecundity of fragments transplanted in May was not negatively affected in 2010; however the fecundity of all transplants was lower than that of donor colonies in 2011, with oocytes failing to reach reproductive size. Re-allocation of energy resources towards tissue repair may account for the low growth and loss in fecundity. This study highlights the importance of evaluating fragment size and collection time in promoting growth and propagation of transplanted octocorals following damage and prior to marine construction events.

Knowledge of effective reef restoration techniques are necessary in this age of worldwide coral reef decline. Coral transplantation is a restoration technique employed after natural (i.e. hurricanes) and anthropogenic (i.e. vessel groundings) physical disturbance events. The study was conducted to compare the efficacy of propagating small colony fragments in laboratory and field conditions in terms of survival and growth. Fragment growth and survival were assessed for six scleractinian boulder corals common to Florida and Caribbean reefs: Montastraea annularis, M. cavernosa, Diploria clivosa, Siderastrea siderea, S. radians and Dichocoenia stokesii. Broken coral colonies were salvaged from vessel grounding sites and marine debris, fragmented into pucks and secured to travertine tiles. One hundred and fifty-three coral colony fragments were cultivated in an ex situ laboratory nursery and 133 coral colony fragments were cultivated in an in situ field nursery and monitored for 13 months. Survival of all colonies was 94%, with 98% survival in the laboratory treatment and 89% survival in the field treatment. Complete colony mortality was documented in three S. radians colonies, all in the laboratory treatment. All colony loss in the field treatment was due to colony pucks being detached from the tiles. Overall mean percent change in colony tissue area from initial to final monitoring events was calculated to determine growth. Across species, growth was greater in the laboratory treatment (76 ± 4 % SEM) in comparison to the field treatment (27 ± 5 % SEM). Positive growth was observed in D. clivosa, D. stokesii, M. annularis, M. cavernosa and S. siderea in the laboratory treatment. In the field treatment, D. clivosa, M. annularis and M. cavernosa were the only species that exhibited positive growth. Negative growth was observed in both the laboratory and field treatments for S. radians. In conclusion, colonies propagated in the ex situ nursery (laboratory treatment) had higher growth and survival than colonies propagated in the in situ nursery (field treatment). A critical acclimation period accomplished through the use of stable laboratory conditions will produce healthier, more secure coral colonies that may be used to repopulate disturbed reef sites.