Blue Lagoon & Coral Reef Monitoring Volunteer & Internship Programme, Mauritius

As a marine conservation volunteer, you will be able to monitor coral reef while residing on Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean.

Volunteers with the Blue Lagoon and Coral Reef Monitoring Programme will assist with the protection, preservation, and restoration of the local environment. This includes monitoring marine and coastal conditions around the Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny.

Short-term volunteers will be involved with observing the reef in the Blue Bay Marine Park and in the Pointe d'Esney Lagoon. Volunteer Duties Include:

- Lagoon Monitoring – Observe coral and fish and maintain a record of all human activity which takes place in the lagoon
- Beach and Mangrove Cleaning and Monitoring. Mangroves stop the land from flooding and are a way to halt shore erosion. Coral reefs live in nutrient-poor water while mangroves do best in nutrient-rich water, so mangroves actually purify the water from waste and pollutants. Volunteers must halt the waste that is dumped in the mangrove forests and to clean contaminated areas.
- Create numerous outreach programmes to foster local community support (questionnaire survey, education events, in-school lessons for children)
- Conduct activity surveys of fish, coral and anthropogenic activity. Our goal is to be in the water most of the time to collect important information that will help us understand the health of the lagoon. This will in turn provide us with the data necessary to share with the local community so that they are aware of the state of the lagoon.
Long-term internships are available for those with relevant skills and experience, and who can commit to at least 5 months in duration.

Volunteers will be able to broaden their understanding of marine life. Volunteers will learn:

- A thorough understanding of marine biology and the importance of the ecosystem
- How to differentiate different coral, fish and other species that reside in the seas around Mauritius. Volunteers will learn in theoretical and practical workshops.
- How to research issues that negatively impact the coral reef ecosystem locally and globally. Volunteers will be taught about conservation methods to reverse those issues.
- Volunteers will be able to learn about up-to-date research through using current methodologies. These methods measure fish and benthic abundance during snorkeling and scuba diving.

The experience that each volunteers builds will go a long way to improving their academic understand and foundation while further career goals.

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