Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000
Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000.pdf
Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000.pdf
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<strong>Status</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Coral</strong> <strong>Reefs</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong>: <strong>2000</strong><br />
The national coastal law has helped consolidate <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ‘Conservatoire du Littoral et<br />
des Rivages Lacustres’; a state-run administrative body dedicated to acquiring important<br />
natural coastal areas to protect <strong>the</strong>m from development projects.<br />
The environmental charter <strong>of</strong> 1990 in Madagascar has been <strong>the</strong> catalyst for a bill on coral<br />
and rocky reef state surveillance, which should be submitted to <strong>the</strong> Prime Minister shortly. If<br />
passed, Madagascar will be <strong>the</strong> first IOC country to have specific laws relating to reefs.<br />
The IOC countries all have recent legislation on impact assessments, however, <strong>the</strong>re are few<br />
examples <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> laws being enforced. East African and West Indian Ocean countries have<br />
prepared a syn<strong>the</strong>sis <strong>of</strong> legislation on impact assessments, and developed a code <strong>of</strong> good<br />
conduct for such assessments (SEACAM training seminar October 1998). Ecolabelling <strong>of</strong><br />
tourist developments (ISO 14001 labels, Green Globe, etc.), which monitors resort operations,<br />
provides a powerful tool to encourage sustainable management <strong>of</strong> coastal resources, in<br />
parallel with impact assessments, which monitor <strong>the</strong> design-stage. The benefits are continued<br />
assessment <strong>of</strong> compliance following <strong>the</strong> pressures applied in design, however it is essential to<br />
provide information to <strong>the</strong> operators who are <strong>of</strong>ten unaware <strong>of</strong> environmental problems.<br />
Environmental Monitoring<br />
There are two major reef monitoring programmes in <strong>the</strong> region: <strong>the</strong> IOC programme<br />
summarised here; and <strong>the</strong> CORDIO programme. The latter (COral Reef Degradation in <strong>the</strong><br />
Indian Ocean) was developed to assess <strong>the</strong> impacts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1998 exceptional bleaching<br />
phenomenon on <strong>the</strong> reefs and human communities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wider Indian Ocean. Finance is<br />
provided by <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong> Bank, <strong>the</strong> Swedish Development Agency (SIDA) and o<strong>the</strong>r national<br />
agencies, and <strong>the</strong> WWF. CORDIO is now in its second operational phase, following <strong>the</strong><br />
national assessments in 1999, and it is essential to ensure that <strong>the</strong>re is coordination<br />
between <strong>the</strong> different monitoring programmes to avoid duplication and pr<strong>of</strong>it through<br />
synergies. Such coordination exists already in Eastern Africa and South Asia.<br />
Marine Protected Areas<br />
Comoros<br />
Two marine park projects are proposed: <strong>the</strong> Coelacanth Marine Park, for which feasibility<br />
studies have been completed by <strong>the</strong> REP-IOC and sent to all stakeholders; and <strong>the</strong> Moheli<br />
Marine Park, which is currently being set up by <strong>the</strong> UNEP-GEF. These marine parks aim to<br />
preserve biodiversity, implement long-term marine resource management and develop<br />
ecotourism. The villages <strong>of</strong> Itsamia, Hamavouna, Nkangani, Ouanani, Ziroudani,<br />
Nioumachouoi, Ndondroni, Ouallah 2, Ouallah-Mirereni and Miringoni on Moheli island<br />
have been declared as ‘Parc Marin de Moheli’ National Park in line with <strong>the</strong> provisions <strong>of</strong><br />
article 46 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> environment laws.<br />
Madagascar<br />
Only one marine park has been <strong>of</strong>ficially established, <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn Mananara Biosphere<br />
Reserve, but several are proposed in Masoala, near Toliana and on <strong>the</strong> island <strong>of</strong> Nosy Tany<br />
Kely, which has been considered as a marine reserve for many years but does not have<br />
legal status. The ANGAP (National Agency for <strong>the</strong> Management <strong>of</strong> Protected Areas)<br />
coordinates and manages marine protected areas, however, <strong>the</strong>re are no exclusively marine<br />
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