Labour's surrender of Chagos Islands risks world's largest marine protected area, warn MPs

Labour's surrender of the Chagos Islands puts at risk one of the world's largest marine protected areas, MPs and campaigners have warned.

The Chagos Marine Protected Area is one of the world's largest officially designated protected areas.

Andrew Griffith MP "Less than three months after coming to power, Labour are already surrendering British interests at home and abroad.

"In addition to the security risk, the Chagos Islands are one of the world's most pristine marine environments.

"With the non-existent Mauritian navy over 1,000 miles away, there is no guarantee rare reef species won't now end up on a Chinese dinner plate."

The islands, handed over to Mauritius this week, have some of the most biodiverse waters on the planet with over 220 species coral, 855 species of fish and 355 species of molluscs.

The unique reefs and coral atolls, which include the Great Chagos Bank, the world's largest coral atoll, are in exceptionally good condition.

Coral disease is very low and no marine invasives have been recorded in the waters.

John Flesher, deputy director of the Conservative Environment Network, said: "The government's shameful decision to hand over British territory to another country is dangerous for British security and a slap in the face to the Chagossians who want to return to their homeland. But it is also a threat to the environment.

"The British Indian Ocean Territory is home to the biggest no-take marine protected area in the world, which at 640,000 square kilometres is around the same size as France. This precious habitat is home to over 1,000 species of fish, sharks, dolphins, crabs, and birds. The area formed the first part of the Blue Belt - the UK's world leading policy to protect our priceless marine environments.

"The UK's agreement with Mauritius speaks of creating a new marine protected area under Mauritian control, but there are no guarantees that it will maintain the existing level of protections. Indeed, Mauritius opposed the creation of the protections in the first place given its fishing interests, and it lacks the navy required to defend the islands from environmental exploitation.

For the sake of the environment, as well as our national security, the government should abandon this misguided agreement."