Numerous geographic features, such as seamounts and convergence and upwelling zones are present in Chagos/BIOT (Charles Sheppard, unpublished data; Alex Rogers, unpublished data) and the island mass effect has been reported in neighbouring Maldives (e.g. Sasamal, 2006). As previously discussed, in other locations such features have been shown to act as natural aggregation devices for tuna and other migratory species (e.g. Holland et al., 1999, Itano and Holland, 2000 and Morato et al., 2008).

No-take protection that encompasses these features is therefore likely to be an effective conservation tool. As a no-take MPA, Chagos/BIOT is of sufficient size to protect both site-attached and migratory species. Modelling of mark/recapture tagging data in both the west Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean demonstrate

median life-time displacements of selleck kinase inhibitor around 400–500 miles in the three target tuna species in Chagos/BIOT (Fonteneau, 2008 and IOTC., 2008). Although this means that these fish will be exposed to periods of exploitation at some point during their lifetime, these data Sorafenib cost demonstrate that the conservation of tuna stocks can be promoted through effective domestic management policies (Sibert and Hampton, 2003). Moreover, theoretical analyses of predator–prey models suggest that migratory pelagic species require large protected reserves to exhibit increases in population Amylase size (Micheli et al., 2004); with the Chagos/BIOT MPA being 210,000 square miles, such an expanse potentially provides an excellent area for the recovery of shark, tuna and other large predators. Scientific data (e.g. Mortimer and Broderick, 1999 and Williams et al., 1999) support Chagos/BIOT playing the role of a stepping-stone for many species in the western Indian Ocean therefore Chagos/BIOT may also help some fish populations on a broad geographic

scale through larval supply and recruitment. No-take marine reserves have been widely reported to increase fish and invertebrate biomass for reef environments within their borders (reviewed in Mumby and Steneck, 2008) with many exploited species, including migratory, pelagic species (Palumbi, 2004 and Polunin and Roberts, 1993) and predatory species, benefiting the most from no-take reserves (Palumbi, 2004). The absence of fishing pressure is reported as the major factor that allows both the density and individual biomass, and consequently the reproductive capacity, of exploited species to increase (McClanahan and Arthur, 2001 and Palumbi, 2004). However, it is important to state that no-take MPAs cannot be a lone panacea for the protection of fish stocks or their associated habitats and appropriate management of the no-take area is essential. It is concluded that a permanent no-take zone in the Chagos/BIOT will maintain both fish populations and the near-pristine habitat that exists in this area.