Last updated: 13 October 2026

COTS Watch is published by Coral Garden Conservation (CGC), Coastal Road, Le Morne, Mauritius (info@coralgardenconservation.org). The app lets anyone report sightings of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) around Mauritius and view the national COTS map.

What the app collects

Only what you type into a sighting report, when you choose to send one:

  • the sighting location (from the map pin you place, or your phone’s GPS if you tap “Use my GPS position”),
  • the date, time, depth and what you saw (number, size, coral damage, notes),
  • up to three photos you choose to attach,
  • your name and, optionally, a phone number or email address so the CGC team can ask a follow-up question,
  • optionally, your role (fisher, guide, resident…), organisation or boat name, and whether you want to join the CGC COTS watchers network,
  • the language you used and the type of device (browser identification string), to help with support.

Location is used only when you tap the GPS button, and only for that report. The app does not track your location in the background. The camera is used only when you choose to attach a photo.

How it is used and who sees it

Reports are stored in a Google Sheet and Google Drive folder managed by CGC (Google Workspace, under Google’s privacy terms). CGC uses them to verify sightings, plan removal dives and report to the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries and to project donors in aggregated form.

The public COTS map shows the sighting location, date, number of COTS, size, coral damage, depth and any photos you attached. Your name, contact details and organisation are never shown publicly.

CGC does not sell data and does not share your contact details with third parties, except where required by law. Sighting locations and counts (without personal details) may be shared with the Ministry and research partners.

Retention and your rights

Reports are kept for as long as they are useful for COTS monitoring. You may ask CGC at any time to correct or delete your report or your personal details: email info@coralgardenconservation.org with the report ID (shown after sending) or the approximate date and place.

Children

The app is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect their data.

Changes

We will post any changes to this policy on this page and update the date above.