Coral reefs are vibrant, teeming with life and, sadly, under threat. With Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef currently suffering its fifth mass bleaching event in eight years, attention has turned to global restoration projects aiming to preserve them.

As the world’s sea temperatures continue to rise, once temperate waters may one day have a role to play in the conservation of tropical coral reefs, some scientists believe. It might sound far-fetched but it’s been speculated that coastal waters off Wales could in future become “breeding grounds” for replacement reefs.