The ocean is vast and magical body of water. We have taken its ability to provide and dilute for granted, viewing the Ocean as a limitless source of food, resources and a place to dump our waste. Global marine eco systems are suffering from human mis-use, over-fishing, dredging, dynamite and cyanide fishing are causing serious depletion to stocks, are un-sustainable and destroy ancient marine habitats. Industrial agriculture uses chemicals that enter our river system and flow into the sea, coastal development has associated demands on the surrounding seas including increases in raw sewage; high levels of these foreign toxins are literally changing the chemical and bacteria make-up of our Oceans. Deforestation destabilises the soil and during heavy rain soil flows down stream and suffocates marine life. A ships anchor recklessly drop onto a coral reef can break coral that has taken decades to grow, the list goes on.

There is an urgent need for us to establish practices that will assist in ecological restoration, to establish sustainable fishing practices, create new ways to interact with the seas that shift our relationship to the marine environment, acting to preserve its beauty and diversity instead of destroying it, appreciating it as source of income for millions of people and an asset that we really need to cherish.


The Manta ray is a collaboration of science and art. Celia has created the manta ray design with the technology of Bio-rock and the marine scientist Tom Goreau. The manta spanning 5 meters from wing to wing is constructed with steel reba and sunk in 10 meters of water off the shore of Gilli Tawagan, Lombok Indonesia. A negative electrical charge is sent to the metal structure (The cathode) and the positive charge to a titanium plate in the water (the anode).

This electrical charge increases the calcification process. The calcium carbonate is required to build coral skeletons. The charge stops the steel bars used to re-enforce concrete (rebar) from rusting and very quickly calcium carbonate forms around this metal. Broken corals are gathered from damaged or rubble reefs and tided to the structures and as the calcium carbonate grows over the surface of the structure the corals are fused to the metal in a natural chemical reaction, with less energy required to grow, the corals can focus on feeding and development so there survival rate and development is dramatically improved. The corals blossom on these electrically charged nurseries surviving in conditions of pollution and higher water temperatures that would normally kill the reef system. Fish and other creatures are also benefited and in six months the manta will be the home to fish and support a reef eco-system.

The Bio -rock technology and Reef Nurseries are a life line for coral reefs in an era where we seriously mistreat the oceans and the odds are seriously stacking up against their existence. Coral reefs are beautiful and provide a livelihood to a hugh array of marine life and managed well provide an income to a lot of people. They are worth investing in.

Artificial reefs are man-made structures placed in the water that can contribute to ecological restoration. Plants and animals seek shelter from currents and predators in the nooks and holes in naturally existing rocks and coral or in sunken wrecks and other artificial structures. Sponges, barnacles, corals and other marine life are seeking surfaces to attach and grow. Concrete, metal and wood are as good as the naturally occurring shapes of the coral reef, rocks and boulders. An under water eco system will over time form around most objects. An artificial reef made from non-toxic materials placed on a sandy bed ensuring no disturbance to existing marine life can provide new sanctuaries and bio diversity.

NB There is a debate as to whether new life is generated by artificial reefs or merely attracted from other locations however there is evidence to support, that certain species do benefit and in locations where there is prevalent mis-use and local management is seeking innovative approaches to sustainable human interaction- an artificial reef is useful and interesting.
There is also concern that certain artificial reef projects are used as excuses to dump waste and this should be carefully considered. However marine life seeks shelter and a rock is just as good as a stone sculpture! Is broken plant pot rubbish if a robin is nesting in it. As we destroy existing habitat it makes sense to create new environments for marine to live in.

The term artificial reef covers a variety of very different projects. The Reef Ball Foundation www.reefball.org is a restorative organisation that sinks cast concrete moulds, in the shapes are nooks and holes which become the hideouts for animals like young octopus and juvenile fish, This design mimics the protection provided by a natural reef habitat.
The Rainbow Warrior a boat that protected the oceans for the Greenpeace was attached and damaged beyond repair; it was then stripped, clean and officially sunk in Mataouri Bay, New Zealand. It is now a thriving sanctuary for marine life, an artificial reef and good dive site.
Historical wrecks each with an interesting tale of how she sunk to the
Ocean floor, attract divers into the under-water world, diving to experience the story and to see the marine life that these artificial reefs are sustaining, examples include The Thistlegorm, a bombed war cargo ship discovered by Jacque Cousteau and The Yolanda, a wreck full of old toilets which creates a great photo opportunity for a diver! Both are in the Red Sea. It has become common to intentionally sink vessels to provide an interesting Dive site and shelter for marine life.

I am interested in the potential to create marine habitats that have been designed for divers and snorkelers to enjoy and are used by marine species to live in and on; An Eco dive sculpture. To create artwork that is benefiting the environment and attracting a new group of divers to the underwater world.
I love the ocean and want to help raise awareness of the beauty of our marine world. I am aware of a pressing need to conserve its health. Diving and tourism provides an income and way of life to many people and we need to motivate and establish incentives to preserve. The concept of marine installations embraces my love of art and the underwater world, The temporary or permanent installation would spark the imagination, establish a innovative and new interaction with the marine environment and create visual material that could be used to raise the environmental awareness.

Jason de Caires, has created a very interesting new dive site of sunken sculptures in Granada in the Caribbean, the figures support the survival of corals and other species and also transmit messages about the protection of life. Moilinere bay is home to 65 sculptures, covering an area of 800 sq/ m.

Who will benefit from the eco dive sculpture?

1. The Dive and tourist Industry
Diving, snorkelling and beach holidays make up a large proportion of international tourism. The image of a white sandy beaches and pristine coral reefs the twinkling lure. A marine installation in a resort would provide an innovative attraction and draw new customers. The installations can be positioned to provide a dive in an area where there is not much to see or when conditions in alternative dive locations are not possible. Reefs and natural habitats will become stressed if over dived and can be damaged by inexperienced divers. A created site would take traffic of dive sites and provide an interesting environment for beginners. The more interesting underwater attractions on offer the longer tourist will stay.

2. The local industry and trade
Fiscal study into the spending behaviour of scuba divers shows that they spend a lot of money on hotels, in restaurants and in local shops and therefore are proven to benefit the local economy.

3. The Environment and awareness through education
The oceans are suffering as a consequence of human misuse. As the fish stocks decline and the other ways we misuse the waters are no longer acceptable, we need to find new ways to interact. We need to quickly find solutions…. to change the relationships we have created.
Diving is a great way to make sea lovers out of people and love of nature encourages the desire to look after it. The local community will also have a vested financial interest in ensuring the well being of the Seas. The interesting concept of interact art underwater would draw a new group of divers underwater and new awareness to a greater number of people. These benefits linked with an educational program would have long-term environmental gains.

4. Tourism and Promotion
An eco-marine dive installation would create a lot of publicity that could be used to raise environmental awareness; Photographers and images of the project would provide excellent visual publicity material and attract features in the press from around the world.

5. Art World and the artist
I am interested to create an eco –marine habitat that has been designed for divers to enjoy, ‘an interactive eco-marine installation’. The spatial quality of water means the viewer can see 3 dimensional forms in a completely innovative way. The installations can be approached from above swam through and around. Marine life interacts with form and humans in a completely different way then they do on land.