The Chagos Marine Protected Area, located in the central Indian Ocean in the British Indian Ocean Territory of the United Kingdom, is one of the world's largest officially designated marine protected areas, and one of the largest protected areas of any type (land or sea) on Earth. It was established by the British government on 1 April 2010 as a massive, contiguous, marine reserve, it encompasses 640,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi) of ocean waters, including roughly 70 small islands and seven atolls of the Chagos Archipelago. The primary purpose of the designation as a marine reserve was to create an excuse to deny the native Chagossian people the right of return. Unlike true marine reserves, the area is heavily polluted by the nearby military base, which is exempt from all restrictions imposed on the area.
The establishment of the protected area was immediately controversial, as the Chagossian people were forcibly expelled from the archipelago, including the outlying islands, because the United States wanted a military base on Diego Garcia; their expulsion has been described as ethnic cleansing.[1][2] In a cable leaked by WikiLeaks, a US State Department official commented based on talks with British ministers and officials that establishing the reserve to restrict fishing would be the "most effective long-term way to prevent any of the Chagos Islands' former inhabitants or their descendants from resettling."[3] The same cable explained that the protection would permit environmental damage if caused by military use: "the terms of reference for the establishment of a marine park would clearly state that the BIOT, including Diego Garcia, was reserved for military uses. ... the establishment of a marine reserve had the potential to be a 'win-win situation in terms of establishing situational awareness' of the BIOT... [the government] sought 'no constraints on military operations' as a result of the establishment of a marine park." An exemption in the MPA allows people from the US base on Diego Garcia to continue fishing. In 2010, more than 28 tonnes of fish was caught for use by personnel on the base.[4][5][6]
On 18 March 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration unanimously held that the establishment of the marine protected area (MPA) was illegal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as Mauritius had legally binding rights to fish in the waters surrounding the Chagos Archipelago, to an eventual return of the Chagos Archipelago, and to the preservation of any minerals or oil discovered in or near the Chagos Archipelago prior to its return.[7][8] The decision of the court is final and binding.[9] The MPA is now under negotiation between the UK government and government of Mauritius.[10]
The CMPA is administered with assistance from the Chagos Trust, funded by donations and the British Government.[11] Tourist visitors are generally not permitted, although as of 2016 private yachts sailing across the Indian Ocean may apply for mooring permits outside the strict nature reserve areas.[12]
^Murray, Craig (21 April 2014). "A key test for international law". Retrieved 12 October 2014.
^Allison, Simon (29 March 2016). "Chagos Islands: Britain's last African outpost shows why independence was necessary". Daily Maverick.
^"WikiLeaks cables: Mauritius sues UK for control of Chagos islands". the Guardian. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^Owen Bowcott and John Vidal (28 January 2013). "Britain faces UN tribunal over Chagos Islands marine reserve". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
^John Vidal (13 March 2014). "Chagos islands: UK experts to carry out resettlement study". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
^Amos, Jonathan (7 June 2016). "Bleaching 'devastates' Chagos Marine Reserve". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
^Owen Bowcott, Sam Jones (19 March 2015). "UN ruling raises hope of return for exiled Chagos islanders". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
^"Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v. United Kingdom) (Press Release and Summary of Award)". Permanent Court of Arbitration. 19 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
^"Disputes over the British Indian Ocean Territory: developments since mid-2013". House of Commons Library. UK Parliament. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
^"Marine Protected Area". British Indian Ocean Territory. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
^"Frequently Asked Questions". Chagos Conservation Trust. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
^"How to apply for a mooring permit". British Indian Ocean Territory. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
and 28 Related for: Chagos Marine Protected Area information
The ChagosMarineProtectedArea, located in the central Indian Ocean in the British Indian Ocean Territory of the United Kingdom, is one of the world's...
The Chagos Archipelago (/ˈtʃɑːɡəs, -ɡoʊs/) or Chagos Islands (formerly the Bassas de Chagas, and later the Oil Islands) is a group of seven atolls comprising...
of the Chagos with a dotted line and the legend "existence doubtful" until the 1998 edition. Chagos Archipelago ChagosMarineProtectedArea Diego Garcia...
concerning the status of the Chagos Archipelago and the attempts of the United Kingdom government to create a MarineProtectedArea in British Indian Ocean...
sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago. On 1 April 2010, the ChagosMarineProtectedArea (MPA) was declared to cover the waters around the Chagos Archipelago...
Sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is disputed between Mauritius and the United Kingdom. Mauritius has repeatedly stated that the Chagos Archipelago is...
(also Îlois [il.wa] or Chagos Islanders) are an Afro-Asian ethnic group originating from freed African slaves brought to the Chagos Islands, specifically...
Chagos The United Kingdom, at the request of the United States, began expelling the inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago in 1968, concluding its forced...
raises hope of return for exiled Chagos islanders". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2015. "ChagosMarineProtectedArea arbitration (Mauritius v. United...
of Green Imperialism (1995) ChagosMarineProtectedArea - area around the Chagos islands declared a "marineprotectedarea" to justify the exile of Chagossians...
ocean around the islands, was declared a marine reserve. It is known formally as the ChagosMarineProtectedArea, because it is a "pristine ocean ecosystem...
the ChagosMarine Park or Chagos Archipelago.[citation needed] Although for many uses it is sufficient to designate the boundaries of the marine park...
(Atlanto-Scandian Herring Arbitration) (2014) Mauritius v. United Kingdom (ChagosMarineProtectedArea) (2015) Philippines v. China (2016) Netherlands v. Russia (MV...
Blue Marine Foundation secured funding to enforce the protection of the no-take marine reserve created by the UK government around the Chagos Archipelago...
also been instructed in inter-State arbitrations, including the ChagosMarineProtectedArea Arbitration (counsel for Mauritius) and the dispute between the...
to the coral from human activities but the Chagos Islands are now part of the ChagosMarineProtectedArea which should provide a measure of protection...
provide the financial backing to enable the designation of the ChagosMarineProtectedArea in the British Indian Ocean Territory. In 2012, the Foundation...
islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean: why it is the world's largest no-take marineprotectedarea". Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater...
of the convention, to protect ocean life in international waters. This would provide measures including MarineProtectedAreas and environmental impact...
northernmost of the Lakshadweep–Maldives–Chagos group of islands, which are the tops of a vast undersea mountain range, the Chagos-Lakshadweep Ridge. The entire...
Law of the Sea, is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including...
pollution of pristine lagoon". The Independent. Retrieved 29 March 2015. "The Chagos Archipelago - Patrol Vessel". "North Star". www.northstarshipping.co.uk...
70–40 million years ago) connects Réunion and the Mascarene Plateau to the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge and the Deccan Traps in north-western India; the Kerguelen...
first marine mammal to be protected in the Philippines was the dugong, although monitoring this is difficult. Palau has legislated to protect dugongs...
Global Information