Through its RECOS project, the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) is strengthening its capacity to monitor marine ecosystems in the Comoros. The focus is on the seagrass beds of Mohéli, which are crucial habitats for marine species such as turtles.
The Mohéli Marine Park, one of six pilot sites in the region supported by the RECOS project through the Noé Association, is recognised as a key centre for the preservation of marine and coastal ecosystems in the Comoros. Thanks to the support of the IOC’s RECOS project, the Mohéli Marine Park and the Noé Association benefit from technical assistance from the Centre d’Étude et de Découverte des Tortues Marines (CEDTM) in La Réunion.
From 12 to 19 November 2024, the IOC sent Katia Ballorain from the CEDTM to support the Park’s team in the ecological monitoring and mapping of seagrass beds and sea turtle populations. Seven agents benefited from capacity-building based on monitoring methods harmonised at regional level.
Although the seagrass beds in Moheli are sparse, the observations made confirm their importance as feeding and development habitats for juvenile green turtles. Other sightings report the presence of dugongs, reinforcing the heritage value of these ecosystems.
In addition to their ecological importance, seagrass beds are habitats of Community interest. They enable the inhabitants of Moheli to sustain their sources of income, a large part of which comes from fishing. Preserving marine ecosystems such as seagrass beds has both an ecological and a socio-economic impact.
The RECOS project “Coastal populations and ecosystems resilience in the Western Indian Ocean” is being implemented by the IOC with funding from the Agence française pour le développement (AFD) and the Fonds français pour l’environnement mondial (FFEM).
Photos by Katia Ballorain