At the beginning of 2012, a multi-authored paper, lead by Charles Sheppard, was published in the journal 'Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems' entitled: Reefs and islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean: why it is the world's largest no-take marine protected area.
The paper is a review of the science and ecology of the Chagos Archipelago. The Abstract states:
(1) The Chagos Archipelago was designated a no-take marine protected area (MPA) in 2010; it covers 550 000 km2, with more than 60 000 km2 shallow limestone platform and reefs. This has doubled the global cover of such MPAs. (2) It contains 25–50% of the Indian Ocean reef area remaining in excellent condition, as well as the world's largest contiguous undamaged reef area. It has suffered from warming episodes, but after the most severe mortality event of 1998, coral cover was restored after 10 years. (3) Coral reef fishes are orders of magnitude more abundant than in other Indian Ocean locations, regardless of whether the latter are fished or protected. (4) Coral diseases are extremely low, and no invasive marine species are known. (5) Genetically, Chagos marine species are part of the Western Indian Ocean, and Chagos serves as a ‘stepping-stone’ in the ocean. (6) The no-take MPA extends to the 200 nm boundary, and includes 86 unfished seamounts and 243 deep knolls as well as encompassing important pelagic species. (7) On the larger islands, native plants, coconut crabs, bird and turtle colonies were largely destroyed in plantation times, but several smaller islands are in relatively undamaged state. (8) There are now 10 ‘important bird areas’, coconut crab density is high and numbers of green and hawksbill turtles are recovering. (9) Diego Garcia atoll contains a military facility; this atoll contains one Ramsar site and several ‘strict nature reserves’. Pollutant monitoring shows it to be the least polluted inhabited atoll in the world. Today, strict environmental regulations are enforced. (10) Shoreline erosion is significant in many places. Its economic cost in the inhabited part of Diego Garcia is very high, but all islands are vulnerable. (11) Chagos is ideally situated for several monitoring programmes, and use is increasingly being made of the archipelago for this purpose.
The full paper may be downloaded at: Sheppard et al 2012
Described in the Chagos Conservation Trust Newsletter No 39 as "a major scientific review", the paper contains much informative material. Some of this is, however, listed as "unpublished" (7), "pers comm" (4), and "in prep" (1) together with 3 further papers "in press". In 2009, the lead author Charles Sheppard, and a co-author, John Turner, were to deprecate the use of non-peer reviewed material in science papers:
"Many more details in Xxxxx’s article give the impression of severe environmental degradation on Diego Garcia, which is simply not the case. We suppose this impression arose due to the fact that many of the sources Xxxxx cites are not scientific articles, and nor did he account for recovery from damage done in the 1970s or 1980s. In science papers, citations almost exclusively use peer-reviewed articles, for a reason." [Sheppard, Tamelander, Turner 2009 - Journal of Environmental Law]
It is unfortunate that Sheppard et al. feel it necessary to depart from that guidance, for not only does it smack of double standards, but it also raises doubts as to why, when there is ample evidence to support the ecological value of the Chagos, the authors need to include science that has not been 'tried and tested'. Quality science takes time and cannot be rushed simply to find support for campaigns by pressure groups.
The Supplementary Information also contains unpublished material, and the pollution data for Diego Garcia is said only to be "held by the BIOT Administration". Independent requests for the pollution data have met with claims by the FCO that it does not hold the information, collected by the management company DG21 LLC which ran the base operation contract on Diego Garcia. Access to this information remains 'blocked'. If as is claimed, the BIOT is one of the most unpolluted places in the world, it is difficult to comprehend why Charles Sheppard, the FCO, and the BIOT Administration are all making access to the data impossible. Is there something to be hidden?
During the public campaign for the MPA, much was said by proponents which still remains unsubstantiated and unproven. It was to be hoped that this first scientific paper might have departed from that 'hype' and overstatement. Alas an opportunity has been missed, and not only does the public debate remain divided by the relentless pursuit for conservation regardless of other considerations, but now also the scientific community finds itself divided by 'hand waving'.
Earlier Draft of Review
An earlier draft of this review was circulated by the Chagos Conservation Trust at a meeting at the Royal Geographical Society on 19 May 2011. RGS11 Science Review text draft v2 16 May.docx and figures RGS11 Scientific Review text Figures and SI figs 16 May 11.doc.
Page last updated: 13 December 2020