The active rehabilitation and farming of the coral reef in the south of the island is now moving into high gear! The results of the pilot project – completed in September 2022 by the Currimjee Foundation in collaboration with the University of Mauritius – being positive, the second phase could be initiated in October 2022. This phase brings together the Currimjee Foundation, Anantara IKO Mauritius, the NGO Eco Mode Society headed by Mr. Nadeem Nazurally, and financial support from the British High Commission as well as from various local communities. With this new step, the coral farming project will be extended to a larger scale, incorporating the good practices learned during the pilot phase. The first coral cuttings were placed on the artificial structures in Cambuse Lagoon on February 17, 2023, in the presence of HE Charlotte Pierre, British High Commissioner, as well as local fishermen and skippers.
Anantara IKO Mauritius, the Currimjee Group’s hotel, is also supporting the initiative by facilitating the logistics and implementation of this rehabilitation action. The hotel, with the help of Eco-mode Society, will conduct an awareness campaign on the urgency of protecting our lagoons among the population, fishermen, skippers, guests and employees to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
“Coral reefs around the world are not only threatened by the consequences of climate change, i.e. rising temperatures or acidification of the sea, but also by anthropogenic impacts, such as pollution, habitat destruction and overfishing. Yet they play an important role in the well-being of our marine ecosystem and all those who depend on it,” said Vanesha Pareemamun, head of the Currimjee Foundation.
“The preservation and protection of marine ecosystems and coral reefs, in Mauritius as in the rest of the world, are part of the global challenges that we must face together at all costs,” adds Charlotte Pierre. “Coastal communities, our economy and the future of generations to come depend on it. For many years now, the UK Government has been a major contributor to international efforts to protect the oceans and halt biodiversity loss, particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Mauritius. As a founding member of the International Coral Reef Initiative and a signatory to the Coral Reef Life Declaration, the UK is delighted to fund this new phase of the Coral Reef Farming Project led by the Currimjee Foundation and the Eco Mode Society – an initiative that aligns with the goals set out during our Presidency at COP26 in 2021. This partnership will not only raise awareness of the impact of climate change on the Mauritian public, but will also strengthen local and regional action that will enable us to reach our climate targets more quickly,” concluded the British High Commissioner.
