Glorioso Islands Marine Natural Park

Glorioso Islands Marine Natural Park lies between Mayotte, the Seychelles, Madagascar, and the Comoros, with the territory being part of the Scattered Islands. The park is over , covering the entirety of the Glorioso Islands EEZ. together forming a park stretching . == History ==

The territory of the Glorioso Islands has seen a number of problems due to illegal activities such as fishing and tourism. To keep an eye on these activities, while protecting the entire exclusive economic zone, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and the decided to develop a framework for managing the area. It is the fourth established by France, and the second in the Indian Ocean following that of Mayotte. == Marine biodiversity ==

The park is home to a reef that is long and in area. Due to its isolation, the archipelago is relatively well preserved and contains a wealth of marine biodiversity, so it is a useful reference for scientific research and observation of the marine environment, as well as for monitoring climate change. These include more than 150 species of cnidarians and 349 species of coral reef fish. The waters are an important location for Green sea turtles. Wildlife around the Banc du Geyser may also have been damaged by typhoons. == Objectives ==

The park has four major officially mandated objectives: protection of natural heritage, sustainable fishing, scientific observation, and ecotourism. Natural heritage Due to the isolated and uninhabited nature of the park, it has exceptional natural heritage. The preservation of this heritage is thus one of the most important challenges for the park. In particular, the park aims to protect and study turtles (there are a large number of juvenile turtle habitats in the park), coral reefs (including through research on coral bleaching), seagrass (five species of spermatophytes have been confirmed there), and marine mammals, using non-invasive research techniques. Sustainable fishing Fishing is the main activity conducted within the park, but authorities aim to promote sustainable fishing, particularly when it comes to fishing on reef banks such as the Geyser and Cordelière reefs. Because the park is within the exclusive economic zone, fishing is technically prohibited within those waters, so the park works to monitor such activities. Fishing is prohibited within the 12 nm territorial waters of the Glorioso islands, and within 10 nm of Banc du Geyser. Scientific observation The territory of the Glorioso Islands Marine Natural Park is considered a privileged scientific observatory due to its isolation. Thus, one of the park's aims is to improve scientific knowledge of the Mozambique Channel's marine biodiversity through scientific research, including water quality studies. Ecotourism Access to the park and tourist activity are strictly regulated, so this aspect of the park's mandate aims to develop ecotourism and ensure that any tourism is sustainable and respectful of the marine environment. == Governance ==

(middle) and the Glorioso Islands (top right). Mayotte (left) has its own marine natural park. The park is governed by a management board consisting of 20 appointed members: five representatives of the French state, seven qualified experts, three representatives of environmental protection organizations, four representatives of professional organizations, and the president of the board of Mayotte Marine Natural Park. The administration has agreed with Mayotte to some joint management actions. ==See also==