• U.K. Designates World’s Largest Marine Reserve

     
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    Published on 04-03-2010 11:38 PM
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    LONDON — Secretary of State David Miliband today designated the Chagos, a U.K. territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean, as a no-take marine reserve. This declaration will make it the largest marine protected area in the world, totaling more than 210,000 square miles (544,000 square kilometres), an area twice the size of the U.K. The combination of tropical islands, unspoiled coral reefs and adjacent oceanic abyss makes this area comparable in global importance to the Great Barrier Reef or Galapagos Islands.



    Read the full story here:

    http://protectchagos.org/blog/u-k-de...arine-reserve/

    Wondering where Chagos is? Wikipedia has the answer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chagos_Bank
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    This article was originally published in blog: U.K. Designates World’s Largest Marine Reserve started by Plantguy
    Comments 1 Comment
    1. UkSweeney's Avatar
      UkSweeney - 04-04-2010, 07:34 AM
      It is not a done deal yet. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8599125.stm

      "
      The former residents of the islands, who were evicted from the British overseas territory between 1967 and 1971 to make way for the US Air Force base on the largest island, Diego Garcia, have fought a long-running battle in the UK courts for the right to return.
      Of the islands, only Diego Garcia, which has played a key role in the US-led operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, is currently inhabited.
      Resettlement fight
      Some Chagossians claim the marine protected area (MPA) would "severely jeopardise" any resettlement, because it would prevent them from fishing - their main livelihood.
      The islanders' legal saga is not over; Chagossians are now pursuing their cause through European courts. "
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