On the Dock of the Bay

Britain's Fishery Stew:                                                 

The Height of Hypocrisy,

       Sowing the Seeds of Severest Cynicism,

          Conning Conservation and doing Disservice to Science...

  On April 1st, 2010 Britain announced the designation of the Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA). It has been heralded as a grand step to push forward the boundaries of conserving the world's oceans. Yet, the the Chagos Exclusive Economic Zone, the 200 nautical mile boundary that also demarcates the MPA, was already protected and additional protections promised to accompany the MPA were possible through already existing regulations [*1,Sand 2010]. So, maybe it was just a name change. And what's in a name after all? Apparently a lot. At least in this case. This name change also promised, behind the scenes[*2,WikiLeaks 2009], to keep the Chagos' former inhabitants from ever reclaiming their rightful stake to the islands, their one time homes. But there is a fatal flaw in that thought, along with a dreadful moral dilemma, and a drastic side helping of heavy hypocrisy.

  Contrary to the conservation consultants' greatest efforts to keep them away, the Chagossian desire to regain their dignity and their rights is not mutually exclusive to the existence of the MPA, or in more plain terms: doing the right thing does not imply a threat to the good health of the Chagos habitat.

  Morally, as well as practically, conservation and science do themselves no service by failing to consider the history of the islands or ignoring the cultural equation by excluding its stakeholders, the Chagossians.

  Consider all this concurrent with Britain and Europe's own dismal track record of fisheries at home and their industry's bad behavior abroad....

The MPA does not require denying the Chagossians.

Examine the Ingredients of the Stew...

[take a look inside the pot]

Consider the Concept of Equity...

  Consider the concept of equity  - if there is such a thing in the real world, if not in fact then at least in good faith, and then at the very least make it look like more than just the perception of it: "at least put a little more effort in it than just making it look fair, and a shoddy effort at that..."

[to the fishery pot - next page]

*notes:

1, Sand PH (2010) The Chagos Archipelago - footprint of Empire, or World Heritage? Environ Policy Law 40:232-242

2, US Embassy (London). HMG floats proposal for marine reserve covering the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Confidential Cable to Secretary of State Washington 15 May 2009. WikiLeaks . 2009. [GO]