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Reunion Island's coral reef are very concentrated covering part of the western littoral. The fact that the continental shelf lacks means that the sea quickly becomes deep not far from the coast. The beauty and majesty of the deep ocean reveals the coral reef located between St Leu and St Gilles. The full GPS co-ordinate of the coral reef is 53°32’ East and 21°7’ South. It is more than 9 km long and ranges in width from 50 m in its northern part at St Gilles to 600 m in the south. A rich biodiversity of fauna and flora inhabits the depth of the Island.

Reunion Island's coral reef are very concentrated covering part of the western littoral. The fact that the continental shelf lacks means that the sea quickly becomes deep not far from the coast. The beauty and majesty of the deep ocean reveals the coral reef located between St Leu and St Gilles. The full GPS co-ordinate of the coral reef is 53°32’ East and 21°7’ South. It is more than 9 km long and ranges in width from 50 m in its northern part at St Gilles to 600 m in the south. A rich biodiversity of fauna and flora inhabits the depth of the Island.

Management of coral Reef in Reunion Island
There is a variance of vulnerability that we can divide in 3 sectors:

The less vulnerable sectors are situated in St Paul and l’Etang-Salé (North) due to the absence of reef ecosystem and the stability of the shore. The Moderately vulnerable sector is situated in Grande Anse and Boucan Canot due to the pressure of urbanisation, which is feeble or moderate. Overall, it has few severe impacts. The Highly vulnerable points are located at la Pointe des Aigrettes, la Pointe du Sel, la Ravine Blanche, St-Pierre and Grand Bois (South)

The main causes for such vulnerability depend on four facts: the first one is the beaches that are affected by erosion, the fact that the recovery rate of coral reef flats in living corals is inferior to 50%. Then there is the question of urbanisation, which puts pressure on the soil and aggravates costal erosion, degrades the landscape and generates pollution. Last, the high sensibility of terrestrial and marine environment due to poor hydrodynamic conditions. The Dock of Pirogue and St-Pierre ville are characterised by irreversible deterioration due to to these growing faster.

Solutions
To slow down this degradation, the researchers recommend coordination of the coral reef management by draining basins in order to limit the entrance of terrestrial pollution from the island. The access, control and use of the reef is also essential with waymarkers. Indeed, researchers advise to forbid the access of certain areas. They recommend in the same way wildlife refuges, surveillance of fishing and leisure activities. Also the “Marine Nature Reserve” created in 2007 plays a fundamental role in the management of the coral reef’s protection. The reserve has already brought benefits by informing people who use it. It helps to decrease the poaching and to respect the regulations. Moreover, the coral reef is an important source of revenue for local communities. It generates fisheries and tourism. To reconcile human activities and conservation of this fragile ecosystem, both are essential to the island’s economic development. They are involved in the management of the littoral by introducing stronger access control and use regulations for the Reunion’s coral reef.

Another way to manage this coast degeneration is to measure the carrying capacity. It is in fact one of the key indicators for the coast management. By definition, it sets the limit from which risk of irreparable degradation of the environment and the social climate are high. It is evaluated in 45 criteria such as: Anarchic development: the fact that construction is not planified, use of land not managed, with no regards for the local architecture which leads to a visual degradation of the coast. Increase in atmospheric pollution: due to car and boat emission. Increased release of waste: (wastewater or solid waste) due to the absence of appropriate infrastructure to treat the addition of waste because of the cost of their installation. Saturation of service infrastructures during the high season. Habitat loss and biodiversity. Overconsumption of natural resources by a growing population with more demands for example water necessary for golf parks. Abandonment of traditional activity. Modification of socio cultural identities due to the change in life style. The locals are dependent on the touristic activity. However, the population don’t beneficiate of all the profits.

Activities around the Reunion Coral Reef
Many activities are organized around the coral reef, and this generates money and is also an important part of the island's economy after the chikungunya crisis. From scuba diving to helicopter flight, even by paragliding, in order to discover the coral reef from an other point of view or simply to discover the island, some companies propose to customers some discovering trips. Moreover, many diving schools suggest initiation sessions (first dive), or discovering trails, on these sites. But, in order to be more attractive, some also organize photography contests and small events to touch more categories of people than scuba divers and tourists.

Though, these activities are strongly linked to the coral reef's protection. Indeed, the coral reef is a natural barrier which protects the coast and so the economy (harbors, towns..) from typhoons, waves ; Actually, corals protect the island from the ocean's violence,

Thanks to a recent study, we could estimate the benefits of leisure activities such as scuba diving above 2 076 150 €, water sports above 118 018 €, and diving boats / submarines above 1 851 614 €. Moreover, the fact that you are on the littoral, close to the coral reef, fix the price of housing. Indeed, the closer you are from a beach protected by corals, the higher the real estate prices are.

To conclude, the coral barrier is an important tool for the Réunion Island but also reveals the standards of living of these parts of the island, due to the fact that prices are fixed, thanks to it.