Beaches Rehabilitation: MOI Began Studying Several Sites

The identification in the country of sand deposits off the reefs is part of this project. The geomorphology of our country that the movement of the waves and currents causes a good amount of sand out of our lagoons through the passes. According Mosaheb Javed, Principal Research Scientist at the MOI, the accumulation of sand off the reef is the result of weather conditions such as hurricanes and storms. "This phenomenon has not been the subject of extensive study before and, if the data prove favorable, the accumulated sand off the reef could be used for the rehabilitation and beach nourishment, and to control erosion in some specific places', he argues.

According to the MOI, this study is related to the project on the erosion of beaches in Mauritius and can help to identify areas where the sand can be drawn in a way that is not harmful to the environment. A preliminary study was conducted in Flic-en-Flac and the results showed that a quantity of sand has accumulated outside the reefs south of Flic-en-Flac.

The MOI Project focuses on the use of innovative technologies and practices rehabilitation and sustainable management of coastal zones. Any deposit of sand off the reef which is of interest to scientists in the ME is identified and located by the global positioning system position.

The width and length of the site are measured and the thickness of layers of sand accumulated will then be calculated. Once the predetermined volume of sand, particle size analysis is performed to determine if the sand can be used for the rehabilitation of areas that show signs of erosion and where the shore is in a state of degradation. Specialized equipment is then used to pump sand to the shore.

According to Dr. Daniel Marie, head of MOI, with global climate change, which leads to increased sea levels, coastal erosion will increase and we need to identify a method to counteract these effects. The preliminary report of the project entitled 'The Project for Capacity Development on Coastal Protection and Rehabilitation in the Republic of Mauritius' produced with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, proposes the use of these sand deposits to contain coastal erosion . The extraction of sand in the lagoon that has contributed to problems such as coastal erosion, was banned in October 2011. Follow-ups showed that the flora and fauna at the bottom of the ocean in the affected areas recover slowly.