Creation of a platform for the NGOs

In order to raise our civil society capacity, Forever Blue has launched a social network platform on http://csrmauritius.ning.com in order to gather all the informations that are still spread around regarding the numerous NGOs, their actions, their competences which could be useful to any of us in our projects or interesting for companies who aim at promoting CSR.
Since the launching of the platform yesterday, 7 members have already joined. The very first one, Lindsay Morvan who is chairperson of the Mouvement pour le Progrès de Roche Bois (MPRB) has already posted informations about his organisation... So thanks to spread the word and let us know how we can contribute to one another's projects.

2009 THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE SHARK

In the line of our interest for environment Forever Blue is relaying some interesting informations from other organisations that will help you keep track of the major actions going on around the planet.
Therefore, as 2009 is around the corner, we have chosen to relay an information coming from the "let the sharks Live" network

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the hands of the clock approach midnight for sharks, organizations working for their protection have joined forces in a global communication network named Let Sharks Live, and declared 2009 The International Year of the Shark. The motion aims to raise global awareness of their imminent extinction and the oceanic crisis at hand.

Recent findings of the Global Shark Assessment indicate that at current rates of decline, extinction of the most threatened species of shark is forecast in 10 to 15 years. In large regions, species that were once numerous have fallen to 1% of their original numbers, in a massacre comparable to that of the buffalo on the North American plains 200 years ago, but on a much larger scale. For example, in the Mediterranean Sea there is a 97 to 99.5% decline in shark numbers.

Studies of oceanic sharks estimate 80 to 90% of heavily fished species are gone. Yet these intelligent animals, also called the “Wolves of the Sea” are still fished intensively, and finned, usually while still alive, for shark fin soup.

“The oceans have evolved over hundreds of millions of years with sharks as apex predators, so their loss will destroy oceanic health.” Ila France Porcher, founder of the think tank network, explains.

Some of the issues to be addressed include:

● Convincing the consumers of shark fin soup that shark finning is unsustainable and that the dish must be made using a substitute for the shark fins. Shark fin soup is a tasteless delicacy whose main use in the Far East is to display high social status. If there is no market, the slaughter will cease.

● Educating the public regarding the true nature of sharks and their threatened status, to counter the effects of shark attack hysteria, as spread by the mass media, and which for years has posed a serious barrier to their protection.

● Obtaining protection for threatened species

● Solving the problem of the slaughter resulting from the use of shark nets and drum lines, used to protect beaches in some areas

● Reducing bycatch losses, and the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits defined in fisheries law

● Promoting marine protected areas, and enforcing protection of sharks within existing ones.

● Persuading shark fishermen to practise tag and release only, rather than killing the sharks they fish.

The threats sharks face in this modern world of human domination are daunting. The enormous scale of commercial longline fishing and bycatch, the methodical massacre for shark fin soup, habitat loss and destruction, particularly of nursery areas, pollution, and a variety of smaller operations that have great impact taken together, are the main threats to the future of sharks.

"Our goal is to see the retreat of these magnificent animals from extinction's horizon." says Alex Buttigieg, cofounder of the network.

For further information, please contact:

Alex Buttigieg,(sharkmanab@gmail.com)

Ila France Porcher, (ila@smartech.pf)

Ile d’Ambre eco management project

Ile d’Ambre and ilôt Bernache, with its adjacent lagoon, is a particularly suitable area for introducing environmental education and sensitisation initiatives as it lies adjacent to a heavily populated area, and yet is easily accessible for field visits. Also, the islets and lagoon region contains a wide variety of terrestrial and marine habitats, including some unique habitats that can be developed as special features, that will provide students, researchers and visitors (tourists and locals) a good, practical introduction to the coastal environment.

One focal point of interest for research within this project is the presence of sea turtles which needs to be further investigated and can represent a unique feature;

The islands are used by the local community and tourists for picnics, resulting in severe habitat degradation and an accumulation of rubbish. It is essential that environmental awareness is raised among the operators many of whom are fishers with only a part time interest in tourism. It is also important that the visitors are fully informed of the environmental implications and contribute to the sustainable management of the area rather than its degradation. If managed correctly, Ile d’Ambre and the adjacent region of Mauritius could become an area of great local and national importance for ecotourism development.

The current project is considered as a pilot project which will provide an important baseline for other similar areas.

The Ambre eco management project is in accordance with the GEF-SGP Strategy which promotes activities with regard to conservation and sustainable use and management of biodiversity in coastal, marine and freshwater ecosystems (OP 2) and UNEP WioLab which "addresses some of the major environmental problems and issues related to the degradation of the marine and coastal environment resulting from land-based activities (LBA) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region". It is also in line with government policy and its international commitment with regard to environment preservation whereas to address the issue of coastal zone management in the country while at the same time tackling that of poverty alleviation through integration and empowerment of local communities in the development process. In fact it is going to contribute and add on to other initiatives of NGOs, multilateral agencies and the private sector. In trying to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the current project will therefore contribute in the common effort to achieve the MDGs (Millenium Development Goals), in particular poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability.