Chagos Islands: How to ensure coral reefs are not damaged on return to Mauritius

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Britain has agreed to cede sovereignty over the largely uninhabited Chagos Islands to Mauritius. These islands have been known as the British Indian Ocean Territory since 1965, when they were administratively separated from the then colony of Mauritius. The islands have remained uninhabited since 1973, with the exception of the US military base on Diego Garcia Island at the southern tip of the archipelago.
As Mauritius regains control, there will be major environmental impacts.
This 247,000 square mile (640,000km²) remote ocean contains some of the most pristine tropical coral reef ecosystems on Earth. Chagos is almost three times the size of the British Isles. In 2010, it became the world’s largest marine protected area, banning any fishing.
Shallow-water coral reefs make up 1.5% of the world’s total. Like coral reefs elsewhere on Earth, Chagos’ marine ecosystems are threatened by climate change due to rising sea levels and warmer ocean temperatures. However, unlike most places, these reefs do not currently face the extra stresses associated with human presence, such as pollution and physical damage.
Whether the islands remain uninhabited is a key factor in the potential environmental impact of Mauritian sovereignty. Future scenarios will largely depend on how the UK and Mauritius engage with displaced Chagossian communities.
Chagossians have been campaigning for a long time for the right to return to the island and this needs to be included in future plans. This requires the establishment of infrastructure and means of livelihood. The UK Government has previously carried out detailed feasibility studies and considered resettlement options. Dealing with potential resettlement will form an important part of how Mauritius proceeds with its environmental management of Chagos.
Changes in management and human activities can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. Benefits or harms to the environment depend to a large extent on what, if any, development takes place and how it is managed. A person’s presence can cause damage, but it doesn’t have to.
Economic activities and infrastructure support our ability to research and take action to help habitats adapt to climate change. This could include, for example, transplanting coral strains that are better resistant to marine heatwaves.
Restoration efforts on the island, which began when Chagos was a British colony, could be much easier if encouraged from local settlements rather than relying on long-distance expeditions. This includes removing rats from certain islands to help ground-nesting birds. Eliminating rats also helps the health of surrounding coral reefs. The presence of people as lifeguards could help deter unregulated fishing by vessels navigating these tranquil waters.
There has already been serious scientific research into the Chagos ecosystem by people around the world, including the Zoological Society of London. This supports informed ecological management under the current administration.
The Government of Mauritius should continue to support this, including plans for the Mauritian Marine Reserve in Chagos. Different zones have been proposed that would limit residential areas and allow some uses, including fishing. Funding and support to increase Mauritius’ ability to manage these islands is promised in the sovereignty transfer announcement. This is essential for future Mauritian governments to promote environmental action.
Mauritius needs to be open to cooperation with the UK and other regional partners. For example, the neighboring Republic of Seychelles has extensive experience in managing sparsely populated remote islands, as does the Chagos archipelago. Mauritius is already collaborating with the Seychelles on the world’s first jointly managed area of ​​the Mascarene Plateau, an extended undersea continental shelf covering approximately 150,000 square miles.
Securing a green future
The announcement of an agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands could end a years-long dispute between the British and Mauritian governments over jurisdiction. But it represents the modest beginnings of a complex, difficult and important task. Conflicts will inevitably arise between the two countries and other stakeholders, especially the Chagossian people, over how to manage these globally important ecosystems.
It is vital for the Chagos environment that an effective handover takes place. As Mauritius approaches devolution of sovereignty, it will need to continue its current level of environmental commitment. Economic activities could then be reintroduced, such as restrictions on commercial fishing and resettlement of people with the potential for tourism development.
The important thing is that whether people come back or not, we can successfully manage the environmental impact. However, this requires careful, evidence-based planning and robust management. And Mauritius needs to build effective collaborative partnerships with the UK, Chagossians, scientists and the wider international community to deliver a sustainable future for the Chagos Islands.
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Source: Chagos Islands: How to avoid damaging coral reefs when returning to Mauritius (10 October 2024) from https://phys.org/news/2024-10-chagos-islands-coral 2024 Retrieved October 10th-Leafs-Mauritius.html
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