The Reefs of the Granitic Islands of the Seychelles

Abstract

The status of coral reefs in the granitic islands of the Seychelles archipelago has been assessed by two independent surveys following the mass mortality caused by the 1997/98 bleaching event. Engelhardt (2000), working in collaboration with the Seychelles Department of Conservation surveyed 15 sites located mainly on the north west coast of Mahe during November and December 1999. During January 2000, Turner, Klaus, Hardman and West, working in collaboration with the Seychelles Marine Park Authority, surveyed 46 reef sites mainly to the east of Mahe, including Ste Anne, Ile Moyenne, Ile Cerf, Cousine, Praslin, Curieuse, La Digue, Grand Soeur and Felicite. Reefs around the granitic islands are shallow and rarely exceed 15 m depth. Both surveys aimed to assess reef structure over the full depth range, with corals identified to genus and species where possible, and assessed reef recovery by recording new colonies believed to have established since the bleaching event.