Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Restoration in the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay Natural Reserve

The Takeaway: Partners in Puerto Rico are successfully restoring and preserving the most pristine bioluminescent bay in the world.

Young mangrove saplings grow in shallow water in front of a fallen branch barrier and a forested coastline.

A living shoreline with established mangrove seedlings that were grown in the mangrove nursery. Credit: Perry Fennell/NOAA

Puerto Rico’s Puerto Mosquito bioluminescent bay—the brightest bioluminescent bay on earth—is being restored to its original pristine condition thanks to an almost $3 million grant from NOAA. Located on the tiny island of Vieques, the Guinness World Record-holding natural wonder, also known as the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay, is home to millions of tiny light-producing plankton called dinoflagellates (Pyrodinium bahamense) that, together with a unique tapestry of ecosystems, create a spectacle of light.

In 2017, Hurricane Maria—the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Puerto Rico in almost 90 years—wreaked havoc on the bay, delivering devastating economic, social, and ecological impacts. To local natural resource managers, who lacked the capacity and funds to tackle restoration of the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay’s mangroves, seagrasses, and corals, it seemed a daunting task. Through dedicated partners, local conservationists, community members, ingenuitive science, and NOAA support, these critically important habitats are being restored and will continue to be maintained well into the future.

Aerial view of a coastal restoration site featuring an offshore sediment barrier, a yellow kayak, and two individuals. — A mangrove and seagrass restoration site located on the western edge of the mouth of the bay. The site includes submerged living shoreline bags, sediment stabilization tubes, and bird stakes marking the seagrass restoration area. Also pictured are remnants of the mangrove forest that experienced near total mortality as a result of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Credit: Jose Vasquez

Mangrove seedlings grow in water-filled white bins inside a mesh-covered nursery structure.

The mangrove nursery mimics the inundation, salinity, and nutrient conditions of those found in the bioluminescent bay, which allows mangrove seedlings harvested from the restoration site to grow strong and acclimate to the conditions where they will be outplanted, increasing survivorship. Credit: Alberic Medina

Using creative nature-based solutions throughout the restoration, the project began with the creation of a multi-step mangrove nursery used to plant locally harvested mangrove propagules (seedlings). Restoration of the mangroves is an especially crucial aspect of the project, as mangroves not only stabilize erosion, but provide key nutrients that the plankton rely on to survive. Originally planted in Tupperware containers, the nursery has since expanded, and now contains close to 4,000 individual plants and propagules. Community members who are trained in living shoreline techniques laid a total of 4,000 biodegradable “living shoreline bags” around the restoration site, which ultimately led to an 84-percent success rate of planted mangroves and significantly enhanced seagrass restoration efforts.

Scuba diver maintains a square underwater frame containing suspended coral fragments over a seagrass bed. — The project team conducts a monthly site visit to the coral nurseries off the coast of Vieques. In addition to standard maintenance, these dives are conducted to monitor survival rates, growth rates, and tissue regenerative capacity of coral fragments before they are outplanted to the nearby restoration site. Credit: Perry Fennell/NOAA

A research team on a small boat works in a calm coastal bay surrounded by mangroves and green hills.

Site visit for regular maintenance and monitoring of the restoration site with the team and community members. Submerged living shoreline bags, sediment stabilization tubes, and bird stakes mark the seagrass restoration area. Credit: Perry Fennell/NOAA

Additionally, the project team established a series of shallow-water coral nurseries offshore to grow heat-tolerant genetic clones of native Acroporid assemblages (commonly known as Elkhorn and Staghorn coral) that will soon be outplanted to restore the reef system guarding the mouth of the bay. This natural barrier not only buffers the shoreline against wave energy and storm surges, but also sustains the delicate environmental conditions necessary for the bioluminescent bay to thrive.

The team trained local fishers and other community members and included local tour companies throughout the process, which created jobs and ensured project sustainability and community involvement while boosting the local economy. They also engaged school children, making education an important aspect of the project.

A human arm and hand glow with a bright neon-blue bioluminescent light against a dark black background.

The bioluminescent phenomenon in action. Credit: Mark Martin-Bras/VCHT

The ongoing project now serves as a laboratory for researchers from around the world, a source of economic growth and pride for the local conservationists and community members, and an example of how science and restoration, coupled with determination and some out-of-the-box thinking, can have a positive impact on all aspects of a community and the world beyond it. For generations to come, everyone from local kayak operators to tourists from the other side of the world can enjoy this natural phenomenon, which even scientists describe as magical. (2026)

This project was funded through NOAA’s National Coastal Zone Management Program Habitat Protection and Restoration awards.

Federal Funding: $2,962,196

Partners: NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, The Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Sociedad Ambiente Marino (SAM), The Ocean Foundation, Merello Marine Consulting, BoriCorps