Protection Plans for 12 Beaches Ready End of 2013

This was announced yesterday the Director of Environment, Dominique Ng, Le Meridien Hotel, Pointe-aux-Piments, at the opening of a one-day workshop on the progress made under the Project on Capacity Development in Coastal Protection and Rehabilitation in the Republic of Mauritius. Produced with the expertise of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project aims to provide the Ministry Mauritius plan coastal protection against the impacts of climate change.

"JICA Expert Team performed during a year intensive examination of our coasts. Baseline data were collected and analyzed. The findings of this study were compiled in the first Progress Report, which will be presented and discussed at the workshop today. The second phase of this project involves the development of plans for the protection of our beaches to 12 sites around Mauritius where coastal erosion is most pronounced. These plans will be finalized by the end of the year ", said Dominique Ng. It was attended by the minister, Deva Virahsawmy, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Premhans Jhugroo, Mr. Takahashi Madagascar JICA Office, Dr. Hashimoto, Vice Chief Advisor of the JICA Expert Team, Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator, Laurence Breton-Moyet, the French Development Agency, members of the JICA Expert Team, among others.

According to the Director of the environment, these plans will address the issue of coastal erosion a holistic and integrated manner, taking into account not only adaptation to climate change, but also issues of prevention planning and legal. "During the final phase of these protection plans, their implementation will be supported by appropriate laws and amendments to the" Outline Schemes' "she said.

Dominique Ng revealed that two of the 12 beaches identified, Grand Sable Point d'Esny, serve for one year as a demonstration project. "Thus, with the lessons learned, it will be easier to replicate the project in other sites with similar characteristics."

Director of Environment justified the beach conservation project by threats to our coastal areas . "In recent years, our coastal areas have developed rapidly. Building houses, inappropriate structures such as walls on strike, destructive fishing practices such as seine inputs in excess of agricultural practices, faulty septic systems, water and leisure activities and the ever-increasing coastal populations, all contributed to the degradation of coastal ecosystems and exacerbated coastal erosion. " She added that the challenges of adapting to climate change require urgent attention through monitoring programs and to increase capacity.

Dr. Hashimoto, for his part, gave an overview of the project to those present. For his part, the Minister of the Environment has developed on the measures taken to preserve our beaches since the establishment of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Division at the department since 2002.