Conservationists oppose proposal to allow fishing around Chagos Islands

"One of the most precious marine reserves in the world, home to sharks, turtles and rare tropical fish, will be opened to some fishing for the first time in 16 years under the UK government's deal to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Allowing non-commercial fishing in the marine protected area (MPA) is seen as an essential part of the Chagossian people's return to the islands, as the community previously relied on fishing as their main livelihood."

"The Chagos Islands MPA was designated in 2010, and it became one of the largest no-take zones in the world, meaning no fishing is allowed at all. At the time, the plans, backed by environment NGOs such as Greenpeace and the RSPB, were controversial, with local people accusing the UK and US governments who set up a military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands of putting the fishing ban in place to make it difficult for the Chagossian people to return."

The UK government's deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius will allow some fishing in the Chagos marine protected area for the first time in 16 years. Non-commercial or 'sustainable' fishing is proposed across most of the MPA, with waters around the Diego Garcia military base remaining off-limits. The MPA, designated in 2010, was one of the world's largest no-take zones and has supported healthy coral reefs and high biodiversity. The archipelago shelters more than 76 IUCN red-list species, about 800 fish species including over 50 sharks, sea turtles, rays and skates, and hosts around 175,000 seabird breeding pairs. Conservationists warn that reducing protections could threaten these gains, while Chagossian communities view fishing access as vital for livelihood and return.

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