Coral Farming Assistant
Come join our marine conservation team to help build, clean and maintain new coral frames on our coral nursery & then transplant into reef when they are mature.
About the Program
On our marine conservation Scuba diving volunteer program you will be focusing mainly on water based activities such as coral farming, reef clean ups and seahorse spotting or survey dives.
When the coral farm has new coral fragments (nubbins) in it, then regular cleaning is required to keep the algae off them. Once they are healthy enough, then new frames can be made and new broken corals that we find from the natural reef can be added. We are taking already broken coral fragments and giving them a second chance to survive at our nursery. Some frames will remain on our nursery permanently as fish are using them as homes for their juveniles.
Reef cleans are important too to clear off any trash and sometimes old fishing nets off the natural reefs. Seahorse surveys can also be done here or even just seahorse spotting dives to try to find them and identify what species they are.
We work directly with the Ministry of Fisheries and Conservation in the Cambodian Government and provide our data and regular reports to them.
Your Role as a Volunteer
Volunteers play the most important role to help keep the project alive and also to help keep the corals on our nursery alive. It is really amazing to see the huge impact that the coral nursery has already had in the ocean.
The volunteers have an amazing experience & leave us with some great memories. If you don't have your Scuba certifications we can organise for you to do it at an extra discounted cost to normal course prices. Just let us know & we will send you prices. Why not come join us on the project. You won't regret it.
During your stay at Save Cambodian Marine Life you will be highly active and involved with a wide variety of marine conservation. There will be several aspects of marine conservation that you will become a part of and learn how to take part in:
- A regular and fun activity will be reef cleans, where you will take an empty bag and enjoy a fun dive on one of the many reefs collecting any refuse that you come across.
- Another more interesting dive you will participate in is the seahorse survey. In this survey you will be looking to find as many seahorses as you can and to obtain as much detail on the seahorse as you can get along with pictures if possible.
- As we also build and maintain our own coral nursery to rehabilitate damaged reefs and to build our own artificial reef, you will help us to build new coral frames, maintain our current ones and also help to transplant frames that are ready to be moved.
- Regular beach cleans, village cleans and recycling are an important part on dry land to help ensure that the refuse does not end up in the ocean so these are done on a regular basis too.
Apart from all the marine conservation work that you will be taking part in, you will also get to relax and enjoy the relaxed life that Koh Rong Sonlem has to offer. You will get to interact with the local villagers who are very kind and friendly. Many new friends will come your way on the island and even after you leave the project.
Suitable for
Typical day
Our first day is made up of mostly travel, arrival on M'Pai Bay (fishing village) and then meet & greet with locals. We settle you in and then you can relax for afternoon.
Most days after that will consist of an early morning construction or land project followed by a coral reef clean, then lunch and after that either a reef clean or a project on the coral nursery. It depends on the certifications that the volunteers hold to what project they will be on. The volunteer will get up to two dives a day but some days there is land projects to do, so may only be one dive.
Program Requirements
If you are doing your Padi Certifications on the project then there is an extra cost however it is still lower than normal store prices.
Free-time activities
The bay is great for swimming, snorkelling and just hanging out. You can go on a trek around the island, and there is a private waterfall to visit on your days off.
You can just relax and socialise or spend time out on the beach. It is a quite village however there is restaurants and bars open at night. There is limited shops and limited internet. If you bring Cambodian sim card, make sure it is a Smart phone card as no others work on the island.
Included Services
Included:
Share accommodation, shared bathroom, food, fresh drinking water, tea & coffee, scuba diving & equipment (if part of the marine conservation team). Any tools required to work on the project. If you would like to do your PADI scuba diving certifications we can discuss the price to get you started within the volunteer project. Minimum stay would be two weeks with these courses.
Not included:
Return ferry ticket to the island (cost $10), internet access (you need to get a local SMART sim card)
Shared single bed dorm room accommodation in a hostel. Mosquito nets, mattresses, pillow & bed linen provided. Just bring your personal items and towels.
We provide drinking water, coffee or tea in the morning and three meals a day. Every meal is with a vegetarian option available.
No worries, Volunteer World supports you in raising funds, checking your visa regulations and travel insurance. We also assist you in finding the cheapest flights for your journey.