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LIFE Lophelia

Method development for cold-water coral reef habitat restoration (with implementation) in Kosterfjord-Väderöfjord, Sweden

Method development for cold-water coral reef habitat restoration with implementation in Kosterfjord-Väderöfjord, Sweden

On the Swedish west coast, in the Kosterfjord-Väderöfjord area we have remains of six reef areas of the scleractinian coral Desmophyllum pertusum. However, only two of them still have living coral colonies. These deep-sea corals are also in decline across the rest of Europe.

The coral, Desmophyllum pertusum (formerly known as Lophelia pertusa), is a reef-building cold-water coral that forms spectacular ecosystems. More than 1,300 different species have been observed in these coral reefs. It is just as impressive species richness as in tropical coral reefs.

The LIFE Lophelia project has developed artificial reef structures designed to create the conditions for the future recovery of coral reefs both in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.

We have manufactured and deployed these reef structures on the seabed within the Kosterfjorden-Väderöfjorden Natura 2000 site. Coral larvae need hard surfaces to settle on to grow into new coral reefs. In this way, we are restoring previously known areas of dead and living coral in Sweden. If successful, this restoration could lead to an increase of fish and other fauna that thrive in the reef habitat.

The project was carried out in collaboration between the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland and the University of Gothenburg. It began in 2019 and the activities were completed in 2025.

A follow-up of the restoration is planned for September 2027. The results of this monitoring will be published here.

News

Deltagare vid konferensen Life Lophelia

Coral reef growing at Väderöarna: ‘Encouraging’

2025-09-17

In the Life Lophelia project, 160 artificial reefs have been deployed into the depths of the Skagerrak. During the final conference, around forty participants got to see both the reefs and living eye coral at Väderöarna, just outside Grebbestad.
‘The goal is to have large, living and healthy coral reefs in Swedish waters, similar to those found in Tisler, Norway,’ says Anita Tullrot, project manager at the County Administrative Board.

Korallrev vid Väderöarna.

Time for the final conference!

2025-03-27

The LIFE Lophelia project is now in its sixth and final year and it is time for the final conference on September 2-3, 2025. The conference will be held at Tanumstrand just outside Grebbestad, on the Swedish west coast.

Artificial reefs that are 3D printed in concrete, lies in the docks

Concrete reefs for corals finally in place in the Koster Sea

2024-10-31

All 160 artificial reefs that will save Sweden’s coral reefs are finally in place in the Koster Sea. Launching them has taken longer than expected, since the project was affected by the windy summer weather. Now there will be a few years of anxious waiting before they know whether the experiment has succeeded or not. But until then, the reefs will be a hotel for other marine animals, such as fish, squat lobsters, and sea anemones.