Our story

Creation of the NGO

Reef Conservation was registered as an association in 2004, under the name of ‘Marine Conservation Management Consortium’. It was created for the purpose of carrying out a project funded by the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme to deploy Fixed Mooring Buoys.

The Shoals of Capricorn Programme and the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society had implemented the FMB pilot project in 1999, with funding from the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme. A total of 4 buoys were deployed at popular dive sites in the North: 2 at Grand-Bay Aquarium and two at Pereybere Aquarium. On completion of this project, the Minister of Environment at the time requested the project to be expanded on a nationwide basis. The Marine Conservation Management Consortium was then created in 2003 to undertake this project and received the necessary funding from the UNDP GEF SGP.

The Consortium was also created with the goal of regrouping the various existing organizations working towards the conservation of the marine environment of Mauritius, represented as members of the managing committee. However, through the FMB project, members of the various organizations realized that the work being carried out and the zone of influence of the new organization would be complementary to other organizations’ work.

It was therefore commonly decided, and subsequently voted at an extraordinary assembly that the name “Marine Conservation Management Consortium” would be changed to “Reef Conservation”, and that the organization would act as an independent entity. Individual partnerships would be established on various projects with the other existing organizations.

From 2004 to nowadays

Since then, Reef Conservation has expanded its work from FMBs to marine environmental education, working with coastal communities and fishermen to establish voluntary conservation areas, establishing an eco-guide training programme for out-of-school unemployed youth, working in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries to reinforce the capacity of Marine Protected Areas around Mauritius, as well as engaging in marine and coastal research and monitoring for future management strategies and restoration actions.

Reef Conservation believes in networking, establishing partnerships and participating in local regional and international conferences. We are a member of the Western Indian Ocean Scientific Association (WIOMSA), a member of the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) as well as a member and the national operator for the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). In addition, the NGO is part of a number of national committees including the National Coral Reef Network, the Marine Spatial Planning Committee and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management(ICZM) committee. Our team actively participates in workshops and contributes recommendations on sustainable development, biodiversity, and environmental issues affecting Mauritius.

Our vision

Mission

To protect, conserve and restore the coastal and marine resources of the Republic of Mauritius using a holistic and integrated approach through stakeholder partnerships and the ‘Ridge to Reef Concept’ that includes interlinked land and marine based ecosystems.

Vision

To perform our tasks with integrity, to promote education and sensitisation about the coastal and marine environment and to apply a holistic, ridge to reef approach to conservation, restoration, and sustainable development of the coastal and marine environment of Mauritius through science-based integrated programs and projects.

Objectives

To achieve our goal, we strive to promote sustainable development and awareness of local communities considering all existing social, cultural and economic challenges. Our activities are developed with the objective to:

• Promote community integration with coastal and marine conservation and resource management through research, education, and training.
• Implement projects with a view of promoting coastal and marine conservation and resource management.
• Encourage people to respect laws on coastal and marine environment and to protect underwater and coastal ecosystems through awareness raising activities and campaigns.
• Through targeted actions and fieldwork, we seek to expand our activities in the above three areas by supporting specific projects that aim towards:
  • A better understanding of biodiversity
  • Protection of threatened species and habitats
  • Sustainable development
  • Creating awareness amongst local people
  • Training of local populations