Draft:Saint Brandon Conservation Trust

The Saint Brandon Conservation Trust is an independent Mauritian conservation non-governmental organization working to protect, restore and conserve the historical Cargados Carajos shoals of the Republic of Mauritius (also known as St. Brandon, which have been recommended by the State of Mauritius for application as a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as a Marine Protected Area (2004) and are a vital habitat for endangered marine and terrestrial species facing existential threats from shipwrecks, illegal fishing and pollution.

History
The Trust was incorporated under the laws of Mauritius in 2017 for the advancement and protection of Flora and Fauna and, in 2021, it was renamed the 'Saint Brandon Conservation Trust' to focus exclusively on this Mauritian atoll nationally and internationally.

On 8 May 2024, the Saint Brandon Conservation Trust was launched internationally at the Corporate Council on Africa's US - Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas under the theme Saving Africa's Rarest Species showing Mauritius as a model for African ecosystem conservation with the successful protection of the  Mauritius Kestrel from extinction, the rehabilitation of three rare reptile species following the Wakashio oil spill in July 2020  and the unique ecosystem of St. Brandon, being protected by the St. Brandon Conservation Trust.

Activities
The Trust's aim is to protect and restore the island ecosystem so that Cargados Carajos fauna and flora may be conserved along with the resident fishing community on the Mascarene islands of Ile Raphaël, L'île du Sud and L'Île Coco.

Conservation management, monitoring and research

 * Developing and executing in March 2024, together with the UNDP IAS Project Team an appropriate protocol for the eradication of rodents from three islands around Raphaël island, as a test case.
 * Establishing, together with the UNDP IAS Project Team and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, a subsequent monitoring program to determine eradication success and identify any reinvasion.
 * Establishing, together with the UNDP IAS Project Team and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, effective biosecurity on the St. Brandon islands to limit future rodent incursions.
 * Establishing, together with the UNDP IAS Project Team and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, effective quarantine protocols
 * Updating existing quarantine protocols and awareness rules for visitors to minimise the arrival of invasive alien species.
 * Developing a process for monitoring and reporting of invasive alien species.
 * Ensuring enforcement activity through appropriate authorities.


 * Implementing long-term seabird monitoring progressively amongst the shoals and islands.
 * Implementing flora surveys.
 * Managing invasive flora.
 * Redefining sea turtle nesting beaches protection programme.
 * Executing a protection programme to further develop turtle sanctuaries.

Video clips