Study sites

Six study sites spread across the South-West Indian Ocean (SWIO) are the core elements of BRIDGES.

These have been defined as follows:

  1. The SWIO regional site: an offshore site in the Mozambique Channel and South-West Indian Ocean including the Scattered islands (blue box on the map)

    And five coastal sites comprising marine protected areas and the surrounding areas in some cases:
  2. The Comoros and their four marine protected areas
  3. Mayotte and its Marine Nature Park
  4. The west coast of Reunion Island including its Natural Marine Reserve
  5. Southern Mozambique – from Maputo Bay to Ponta de Ouro.

The integration of a fifth coastal site in Madagascar is currently under discussion with the authorities and partners.