Western Indian Ocean
209
the northern tip of Madagascar, lie the lies Glorieuses, a
group of four small raised coral islands on a 17 kilometer
long coralline platform. At the narrowest point of the
Mozambique Channel lies Juan de Nova, another coralline
island which was mined for phosphates and had a resident
population until 1972. The island lies on a coralline platform
almost 12 kilometers in length. Towards the southern end of
the Mozambique Channel there arc two more islands and
reef systems. Bassas da India is a nearly perfect circular
atoll about 12 kilometers across with little or no emergent
land at high tide. Europa is another atoll structure, about
14 kilometers across, but with a significant land area and a
shallow, mangrove-fringed lagoon. This is also one of the
most important sites in the world for the breeding of green
turtles, with 8 000-15 000 breeding females. Tromelm lies
much closer to Reunion, east of northern Madagascar, and
its ownership is disputed by Mauritius. This is a raised
coralline islet surrounded by fringing reefs on all sides,
with a reef flat of about 150 meters width. Some 15
scleractinian coral genera have been described from this
island, and there are also 1 500-2 000 breeding green turtles.
The island has an airstrip and a meteorological station,
although there are no permanent inhabitants.
Although uninhabited, the islands have military
barracks and all except Bassas da India also have
meteorological stations. These islands have all been
declared nature reserves and, although there is little active
management, they are perhaps better protected by their
remote locations and the presence of military personnel
on the islands.
Protected areas wi th coral reefs
K Site name
Designation
^^^^hreviation
lUCN cat.
Size (km'l
Year
Reunion
Cap la Houssaye - St. Joseph
Marine Park
MP
VI
na
1998
L'Etang
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Pointe de Bretagne -
Pointe de I'Etang Sale
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1978
Ravine Trois Bassins -
Pointe de Bretagne
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1978
St. Leu
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Saline rHermitage llagoonl
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Saline ['Hermitage Ireefl
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
St. Pierre
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Ties Eparses
Juan de Nova
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Ties Glorieuses
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tie Tromelin
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tlot de Bassas da India
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tlot d'Europa
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Mauritius
Balaclava
Marine Park
MP
II
na
1997
Black River
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
9.00
1983
Flacq
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
6.00
1983
Grand Port - Mahebourg
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
22.00
1983
Port Louis
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
5.00
1983
Riviere du Rampart - Poudre d'Or
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
35.00
1983
Trou d'Eau Douce
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
7.00
1983
HIIBI
linill nHIIMHHHInm. •
______
— i—lUiJ,.^
209
the northern tip of Madagascar, lie the lies Glorieuses, a
group of four small raised coral islands on a 17 kilometer
long coralline platform. At the narrowest point of the
Mozambique Channel lies Juan de Nova, another coralline
island which was mined for phosphates and had a resident
population until 1972. The island lies on a coralline platform
almost 12 kilometers in length. Towards the southern end of
the Mozambique Channel there arc two more islands and
reef systems. Bassas da India is a nearly perfect circular
atoll about 12 kilometers across with little or no emergent
land at high tide. Europa is another atoll structure, about
14 kilometers across, but with a significant land area and a
shallow, mangrove-fringed lagoon. This is also one of the
most important sites in the world for the breeding of green
turtles, with 8 000-15 000 breeding females. Tromelm lies
much closer to Reunion, east of northern Madagascar, and
its ownership is disputed by Mauritius. This is a raised
coralline islet surrounded by fringing reefs on all sides,
with a reef flat of about 150 meters width. Some 15
scleractinian coral genera have been described from this
island, and there are also 1 500-2 000 breeding green turtles.
The island has an airstrip and a meteorological station,
although there are no permanent inhabitants.
Although uninhabited, the islands have military
barracks and all except Bassas da India also have
meteorological stations. These islands have all been
declared nature reserves and, although there is little active
management, they are perhaps better protected by their
remote locations and the presence of military personnel
on the islands.
Protected areas wi th coral reefs
K Site name
Designation
^^^^hreviation
lUCN cat.
Size (km'l
Year
Reunion
Cap la Houssaye - St. Joseph
Marine Park
MP
VI
na
1998
L'Etang
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Pointe de Bretagne -
Pointe de I'Etang Sale
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1978
Ravine Trois Bassins -
Pointe de Bretagne
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1978
St. Leu
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Saline rHermitage llagoonl
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Saline ['Hermitage Ireefl
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
St. Pierre
Fishing Reserve
FiR
VI
na
1992
Ties Eparses
Juan de Nova
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Ties Glorieuses
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tie Tromelin
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tlot de Bassas da India
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Tlot d'Europa
Nature Reserve
NR
IV
na
1975
Mauritius
Balaclava
Marine Park
MP
II
na
1997
Black River
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
9.00
1983
Flacq
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
6.00
1983
Grand Port - Mahebourg
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
22.00
1983
Port Louis
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
5.00
1983
Riviere du Rampart - Poudre d'Or
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
35.00
1983
Trou d'Eau Douce
Fishing Reserve
FiR
IV
7.00
1983
HIIBI
linill nHIIMHHHInm. •
______
— i—lUiJ,.^