Red coral has always been highly sought after and fished for its beauty. In recent decades it has also begun to be appreciated live, being admired by divers from all over the world.
Where we look for red coral
Red coral can easily be seen in the Mediterranean Sea, especially in the western part. Given the depth at which it grows: over 20 meters deep (in some places even more) only advanced divers or expert freedivers are granted the honor of being able to admire it.
Due to overfishing, that doesn't stop, red coral can be admired almost exclusively in Marine Protected Areas, such as the one in Portofino:
particularly rich in red coral in almost all of its 20 dive sites. (All the photos in the articles were taken in this marine park).
What does red coral look like?
We will not find a single branch of red coral but rather very branched colonies: that is, small branched trees all close together to create a sort of mini underwater "forest"! Sometimes we will find the small polyps open and busy filtering the current, while other times not!
We will have to look in the shaded areas, preferring vertical walls just like those found in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Red coral likes to grow at the entrance of caves and in ravines that are strictly protected from the sun and with little exposure to the current.
How we observe red coral
Red coral is an extremely delicate animal, it has a very slow growth rate, this means that it takes an infinite amount of time to grow and be as we observe it during dives. What does this mean?
We must be truly friendly fins towards this extraordinary animal:
Have good buoyancy and trim in the water and mastery of our equipment because we cannot afford to collide with it and break those delicate branches.
When we talk about equipment we also include FINS! Often fins have a life of their own and we forget that they too could damage the environment we are in! Clearly we are not used to having a "foot" two or three times longer than ours, so we must take good measurements!
So let's try to move slowly, avoiding sudden movements or kicking against the wall, we could cause serious damage to the organisms and raise suspension... (The diver behind us might not like it very much!)
Let's avoid holding on to the coral because it will break very easily and we would cause a massacre!
Some Friendly advice…
The underwater torch
The underwater torch must be an integral part of the equipment, especially when we dive into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. We will never be able to illuminate a cave and enhance the extraordinary red color of our friend without an excellent ally!
So get yourself a torch that is powerful enough and above all make sure it is charged, we cannot miss out on this one-of-a-kind beauty!
Photographing red coral
We are not photographers, so we cannot give you any advice on how to take a perfect photo! Our advice is focused on “how” the photo is taken:
Let's avoid lying on the wall or holding on to anything to steal a video or a shot because we create damage around us in the meantime.
Photos are taken when we have mastery of the trim and therefore the ability to remain at the same depth with absolute control of ourselves. Only in this way will we be able to stay still enough to be able to obtain a photo that is neither blurry nor out of focus!
We always respect the environment in which we are with our movements and behaviors. Everything can be done and seen, the important thing is the way, so we will preserve this unique heritage of which our friend red coral is also part.
Touching the red coral
We always want to reiterate how wrong it is to touch anything underwater, even in the case of red coral our advice is not to touch it because:
Meanwhile, its small polyps have stinging cells that could therefore hurt us.
we would risk breaking it because it is really delicate.
Red coral already miraculously survives in MPAs, it is the duty of all divers to respect and protect it at least where it should be safe from fishing.
By touching it we risk damaging or killing the polyps (i.e. the little animals that build the coral itself).
Collecting red coral
Of course, it is absolutely forbidden to collect red coral inside the marine parks. Collecting it and being discovered would mean getting into serious trouble with the coast guard and getting hefty fines.
Beyond this, however, we ask you to be conscientious not to do so, simply because it is so beautiful to admire in its natural environment that it would lose all its magic if placed as an ornament in the house or a jewel around the neck.
Divers before anyone else must be a good example for the protection of the sea! We are Friendly Fins and the red coral needs us too!
What Can Friendly Fins Do for Red Coral?
Red coral is subject to many threats caused by man: in addition to overfishing, shameful marine pollution and climate change, there is something more insidious and silent that locally damages the coral and that concerns divers closely. We are talking about ghost fishing nets.
Ghost fishing nets
They are fishing nets abandoned on the wall or on the seabed that, moving with the current, continue to rub on the place where they got caught, causing enormous damage. In these places, the coral cannot grow and very often it is completely torn away.
It is not just a coral problem though, these nets continue to “fish” that is, trap fish that will suffocate to death, for how long? Forever!
These nets are often found on the edges of MPAs where in general there is an abundance of fish and you can fish but they are often abandoned underwater when they get caught on something and you can no longer bring them back to the surface.
We friendly fins divers can remove abandoned nets and lines that lead to the destruction of colonies of these splendid animals, but I recommend safety first and above all we always evaluate whether by removing them we cause more damage than by leaving them… Some lines are so deeply embedded in the organisms that by tearing them we could cause further disasters!
However, we can participate in ghost network removal campaigns to help solve this problem, with the help of expert staff!
As always, however, the most powerful weapon of all is knowledge, only by acting as spokespersons for the wonders that we experience underwater, we can transmit empathy and awareness for the protection of this splendid animal…
Come and get to know red coral up close, click here!