?The Fisheries and Marine Resources Act 2007 is amended?. Thus reads Section 11 of the Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which was debated in Parliament yesterday. Underneath this misleadingly innocuous title lurk ramifications of a very disturbing nature. Not only does this law have potentially deadly consequences for the country?s marine biodiversity, but it could also radically change the Mauritian way of life. This is perhaps why the government has decided to surreptitiously insert the amendments to the Fisheries and Marine Resources (FMR) Act into the all-encompassing Finance Bill rather than amend the Act directly.

The changes to the FMR Act concern primarily fish-farming activities, which can be carried out either off-shore or in-shore. Two fish farms, the Mahebourg fish farm (off-shore) and the Val farms in St. Martin (on-shore), are currently in operation in Mauritius. The ministry of Agro-industry has identified six further sites for fish-farming. And although a total of 8 fish farms seems reasonable enough, the amendments to the FMR Act are nothing short of draconian and have prompted fears that they will open the way for many more projects, to the detriment of the country?s human and fish populations.

In particular, the amendment to section 8D of the FMR Act is the polar opposite of the concept of ?democratization of the economy that has been so successfully employed, as a carrot for some and a stick for others, by the current government.? (1) The concessionaire of any area in a fish farming zone shall take such measures as may be necessary to ensure that the area is clearly and visibly marked-off in such a manner as may be approved by the Prime minister and that the marked-off area is properly maintained. (2) Every marked-off area shall be under the overall control and administration of the concessionaire.?This amendment thus cedes absolute control of whole swathes of our lagoons to the ?concessionaire?.

This provision is disturbingly reminiscent of the controversy surrounding Ocean Blue Company?s recent attempt to restrict to public access to the beaches of Ilot Gabriel. The Supreme Court issued an interlocutory injunction against the promoter, thus further entrenching the freedom of access to the ?public domain?. Some fear that it?s only a question of time until a company with sufficient funds comes along and leases a whole lagoon thus rendering it off-limits to Mauritians.

<B>Act like shark magnets</B>

There is also a risk that the off-shore fish farms will impact negatively on Mauritius?s reputation of being a high-end destination. These farms could, in effect, sully the ?Mauritius experience? for many tourists who expect to find pristine lagoons, rather than floating cages and unpleasant smells. ?You can?t have your cake and eat it?, comments Vassen Kauppaymuthoo, an oceanographer and president of NGO Kalypso.

But the cages could affect our enjoyment of the lagoon in other ways too. By concentrating high densities of fish into submerged nets, the farms act like shark magnets. In Hawaii, a rise in shark attacks has led many locals to demand a detailed study on the correlation between fish-farming and shark activity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has confessed to increased shark activity around the farms it manages in the US.

Notwithstanding its impact on human activities, the ocean?s top predator could also disrupt the food chains in our lagoons. However, this could prove to be fish farms? least harmful effect. ?Mauritius possesses a unique marine biodiversity. Contrarily to its terrestrial biodiversity, which has been greatly destroyed by human activities and invasive species, marine species, such as the Mauritian clownfish and some unique types of coral, have adapted more or less well. Fish farms will have the same impact on the sea as human activity has had on land?, warns Vassen Kauppaymuthoo.

He also warns against the possibility of genetically-modified fish, algae and the like escaping into the wild and vying for food with the weaker local species. An especially notorious incident occurred in the early 1980s when green algae escaped from the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and gradually colonized the whole of the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities in Mauritius have always stringently enforced agricultural regulations to prevent the arrival of foreign plant species and diseases. It seems apposite that a similar stance be taken vis-à-vis our marine environment.

Moreover, cramming high densities of fish into relatively small spaces can give rise to epidemics that can spread to the wild fish population. To combat the risk of disease, fish feed is enriched with antibiotics and anti-parasitic substances, which can pollute the ecosystem and, paradoxically, lead to the proliferation of parasites in wild fish.

<B>Competition for coastal services</B>

In June 2000, the highly respected scientific journal Nature published a paper entitled, Effect of aquaculture on world fish supplies, which dispels the myth that aquaculture adds to overall fish stocks. ?The diversity of production systems leads to an underlying paradox: aquaculture is a possible solution, but also a contributing factor, to the collapse of fisheries stocks worldwide. Ocean fisheries and aquaculture now share or compete for many coastal ecosystem services, including the provision of habitat and nursery areas, feed and seed (larvae) supplies, and the assimilation of waste products. As aquaculture production continues to increase and intensify, both its reliance and its impact on the ocean fisheries are likely to expand even further. The balance between farmed and wild-caught fish, as well as the total supply of fish available for human consumption, will depend on future aquaculture practices.?

The world food crisis has precipitated the necessity to find new ways to feed the world?s population. And aquaculture is undoubtedly one of the ways of achieving this. On-shore aquaculture, in particular, seems promising, as do integrated systems, which reduce effluents and diversify products. It seems vital however that all matters related to the industry be conducted in a consensual and transparent fashion. Amending the FMR Act via the Finance Bill certainly isn?t the way of going about it.