Mauritius National Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (MEDA) Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems (ASCLME) Project ASCLME Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project The GEF unites 182 countries in partnership with international institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. Today the GEF is the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. Since 1991, GEF has achieved a strong track record with developing countries and countries with economies in transition, providing $9.2 billion in grants and leveraging $40 billion in co-financing for over 2,700 projects in over 168 countries. www. thegef.org UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org This document may be cited as: ASCLME 2012. National Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis. Mauritus. Contribution to the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project (supported by UNDP with GEF grant financing). Unpublished report. The views expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the GEF, UNDP, or other UN agencies or project partner institutions/organisations. Neither does it imply any opinion whatsoever as to the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, of its authorities, or of the delineation of its territories or boundaries. Table of Contents Table of Contents Executive Summary . 6. Acknowledgements . .9 Contributing Institutions . 10 Acronyms . 11 COUNTRY OVERVIEW . 12 Main Island Mauritius .....................................................................................................................................................12 Rodrigues ......................................................................................................................................................................13 Agalega .........................................................................................................................................................................14 St Brandon .....................................................................................................................................................................15 The Dutch period (1598-1710) .........................................................................................................................................16 The French period (1715-1810) .......................................................................................................................................17 The British period (1810-1968) ........................................................................................................................................17 Constitutional development ...........................................................................................................................................18 Culture ..........................................................................................................................................................................19 Mauritian Economy .........................................................................................................................................................19 Biophysical Environment . 21 Description of the coast and distinctive features ..............................................................................................................21 General description of the climate ...................................................................................................................................22 Marine and coastal geology and geomorphology ..............................................................................................................22 Freshwater resources and drainage, including rivers, estuaries, delta and coastal lakes ......................................................24 Groundwater aquifers of Mauritius ..................................................................................................................................25 Physical Oceanography ...................................................................................................................................................27 Currents (Coastal hydrodynamics and offshore current systems) ...........................................................................................................................................27 Tide regime and waves ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................27 Sea level change .............................................................................................................................................................28 Ocean Temperature ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Chemical and Biological Oceanography ............................................................................................................................33 Primary production ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Secondary production ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Coastal zone and continental shelf ..................................................................................................................................34 Description and extent of coastal and marine habitats ..........................................................................................................................................................34 Bathymetric survey of the shallow lagoons of Mauritius ......................................................................................................................................................34 Management Plan for a Tropical Reef-Lagoon System ...........................................................................................................................................................35 Productivity of the coastal zone (corals, mangroves and seagrass beds) ...............................................................................................................................35 Mangroves ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Coral reefs .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Algae, sea grass beds and sediment-bottom habitats ...........................................................................................................................................................36 Microfauna and Meiofauna ...................................................................................................................................................................................................36 Macrofauna ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................37 Fish and fishery resources......................................................................................................................................................................................................37 Mammals ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................38 Reptiles .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................38 Birds ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................38 Exotic and invasive species ....................................................................................................................................................................................................39 Long-term predicted