Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas
Protecting Mauritius's lagoons through voluntary, community-led stewardship — built with people, not just around them.
What is a VMCA?
A Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA) is a defined area of lagoon or coastal sea that a local community agrees to protect and manage together, on a voluntary basis. It is not created by law or imposed from above — it grows out of consultation, a strategic choice of location, and the active participation of the people who use the area every day. A VMCA rests on mutual agreement: fishers, lagoon users, residents and partners decide together what is protected, where, and how. Each VMCA is chosen for its combined ecological, social and economic significance — a place worth protecting for its biodiversity, for the community that depends on it, and for the livelihoods and activities it supports.
How does a VMCA works? - Three principles at the core!
Voluntary, not legislated - A VMCA carries no legal compulsion. It works through commitment rather than enforcement.
Voluntary implementation - The community itself implements and upholds the agreed measures and code of conduct.
Mutual agreement - Boundaries, rules and activities are agreed together — stakeholders, strategic location, participation.
Why establish a VMCA?
VMCAs are a practical way to expand marine protection in Mauritius while keeping communities at the centre. They aim to:
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Promote voluntary participation of local stakeholders in protecting and conserving the marine environment.
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Encourage stewardship of marine resources among the people who use them.
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Conserve and preserve marine biodiversity within the lagoon.
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Control and limit the pressures placed on the lagoon by human activities.
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Educate and sensitise local communities and the wider Mauritian public.
🛡 Increase the overall coverage of protected marine areas in Mauritius.
CGC's Approved VMCAs
Operational VMCAs:
St Felix VMCA (4.2ha)
Le Morne Seagrass VMCA 1 (5.9ha)
VMCAs in progress:
Beau Champ (Bel Ombre) VMCA (3.3ha)
Pilot based VMCAs:
Le Morne Seagrass VMCA 2 (4.1ha)
Le Morne Coral VMCA 3 (1.9ha)
Le Morne Coral VMCA 4 (3.2ha)
La Prairie VMCA (18.6ha)
