Conserving the Chagos Archipelago
The Chagos archipelago are home to some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world, however a huge bleaching event in 1998 wiped out almost 90% of the coral population.
Located 500km south of the Maldives, the reefs and islands of the Chagos archipelago cover an area of approx. 19,000km2 of tropical sea called the British Indian Ocean Territory and remain largely unpopulated.
The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility, whilst all of the remaining islands are uninhabited, save a handful of long haul yachts that occasionally stop at the Salomon atoll in the north.
However, in 1998 a huge bleaching event took place throughout the entire Indo Pacific, in some locations resulting in the bleaching and death of almost all corals up to 20-25 meters in depth – 90% of the Chagos coral population was wiped out.
Chagos Marine Reserve
So much has happened in a year...
A year ago, David Miliband, the then Foreign Secretary, declared the Chagos Marine Reserve, at that time and still, the largest no-take marine reserve in the world. Much has happened since this designation.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the highlights:
- In autumn 2010 the new coalition government announced that they stand fully behind the decision to establish the Chagos Marine Reserve.
- Outreach to the Chagossian community is ongoing, including two young people taking up scholarships to study coral reef conservation.
- The red-footed booby colony on Chagos is now the largest in the Indian Ocean.
- A scientific advisory panel for the marine reserve is being established, and will have its first meeting in a few months.
- Commercial fishing license expired in October 2010, and since then 10 vessels that were fishing illegally have been apprehended.
You can read more here: Protect Chagos
Chagos survey
ZSL has long been active in the conservation of the Chagos Archipelago through the UK Overseas Territories Forum and the Chagos Conservation Trust and in 2006, Rachel Jones, deputy team lead of the aquarium, joined other UK coral and reef fish experts in a three-week expedition to the islands.
The main aim of our survey was to assess and compare the occurrence of coral disease around Diego Garcia and the Northern atolls respectively using video transects, and to take tissue samples for further disease analysis at ZSL laboratories.
Creation of the largest marine protected area in the world
Conservationists welcome fishing ban in world’s largest no-take marine protected area
31 October 2010
Commercial fishing around the Chagos Archipelago has ended, making it the largest no-take marine protected area (MPA) in the world. Find out more
Chagos becomes largest marine protected area in the world
2 April 2010
Following pressure from the Chagos Environment Network which includes ZSL, the UK government set a new global benchmark for responsible ocean stewardship. Find out more
