# SECORE

SECORE (SExual COral REproduction) is an international non-profit organization focused on coral reef conservation. The group has over sixty supporters in North America, Europe and Japan, and comprises public aquariums, institutes, and universities. Founded in 2001 at the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands, the organization has been developing methods of captive coral reproduction and preservation, citing studies that have predicted coral reefs could be extinct within decades due to climate change.

## Background

Based on the coral reproduction research of Dirk Petersen at the Rotterdam Zoo (The Netherlands), SECORE was born in 2002. Petersen's findings led to innovative techniques on the use sexual coral reproduction for coral reef conservation. Established by the aquarium community and coral conservation scientists, SECORE initially focused on ex situ conservation and later as well on reef restoration (in situ conservation).
In 2004, Mike Brittsan, M.Sc., of the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium joined SECORE to take over the leading role in the USA. Over the years, both institutions, the Rotterdam Zoo and the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium – in collaboration with other organisations – started a very successful workshop program not only to train experts in the SECORE techniques, but also to bring different institutions together for a common goal – help saving the greatest marine ecosystem on our planet, the coral reef. SECORE supports excellent science in various fields, such as coral restoration, coral population genetics or coral cryopreservation.
Together with its more than 60 supporting partner institutions, SECORE reaches millions of people to spread the word about the dramatic situation of our ocean and what we can do about it. In 2018, they were subject of coverage from VICE News for their work in the coral reefs of Curaçao.

## Supporters
### Asia

* Ochanomizu University
* Marine Research Station Layang Layang

### Europe

* The Deep
* National Marine Aquarium
* Aquarium La Rochelle
* Océanopolis
* Aquazoo – Löbbecke Museum in Düsseldorf
* Cologne Zoo
* Hagenbeck Zoo
* Ruhr University Bochum
* University of Duisburg-Essen
* Wilhelma Stuttgart
* Acquario di Genova
* Musee Oceanographique
* Artis Zoo
* Burgers Zoo
* Rotterdam Zoo
* Wageningen University
* Oceanario de Lisboa
* Planet Neptune Aquarium
* Zoo Aquarium de Madrid
* The Maritime Museum and Aquarium in Gothenburg
* Skansen-Akvariet

### North America

* Curaçao Sea Aquarium
* Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
* Aquarium in Moody Gardens
* Berkshire Museum Aquarium
* Birch Aquarium
* Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
* Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park
* Discovery World
* Downtown Aquarium, Houston
* The Florida Aquarium
* Georgia Aquarium
* Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
* Houston Zoo
* Indianapolis Zoo
* Minnesota Zoo
* National Aquarium in Baltimore
* National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.
* National Zoological Park (United States)
* New England Aquarium
* North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
* North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
* Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
* Pennsylvania State University
* Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
* Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
* Seattle Aquarium
* Seaworld Orlando
* Seaworld Texas
* Shedd Aquarium
* University of Houston
* Virginia Living Museum
* Virginia Marine Science Museum