Reef-Safe Checklist

Most reef damage is decided before anyone gets wet.

• Pack a mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the actives)Do not skip this one"Reef-safe" on the label is not a regulated claim: read the ingredients list. Mineral filters are the conservative choice for lagoon days.
• Bring a rash vest or UV shirtCovering up beats reapplying: less sunscreen in the water and no burnt back after an hour face-down over the coral.
• Check your mask and fins fit before the boat leavesPeople stand on coral when gear fails. A mask that seals and fins that stay on keep you off the bottom.
• Choose operators who brief on marine-park rulesA good skipper explains the no-touch, no-feed rules before you get in. That briefing is a quality signal for everything else on the boat.

Coral is an animal, and a slow-growing one: contact costs decades.

• Never stand on, hold or touch coral, even brieflyDo not skip this oneA hand or fin can kill the living polyps on contact. If you need a rest, float on your back or swim to sand.
• Stay horizontal and keep your fins up in the shallowsMost accidental damage is fin kicks in waist-deep water. Fin gently and watch what is below you.
• Do not feed fish, anywhere, everDo not skip this oneBread and rice change fish behaviour and harm the reef food web, however fun the frenzy looks.
• Give turtles and dolphins room; never chase or touchWatch from a few metres, approach slowly from the side, and let the animal decide the encounter. If it changes direction, you are too close.
• Leave shells, coral and sand where they areLive or dead, coral and shells are part of the reef system, and taking coral is prohibited in Mauritius.

The rules are stricter exactly where the snorkelling is best.

• Follow buoys, signage and skipper instructionsZoning exists so swimmers, boats and coral each get space. The buoys are the map.
• Use designated moorings and entry pointsAnchors are one of the fastest ways to destroy a reef; fixed moorings are there so nobody has to drop one.
• No fishing or collecting inside park boundariesProtected zones are why Blue Bay still teems; what is protected inside spills over outside.

• Carry out everything you carried in, especially plasticsWind moves beach litter into the lagoon fast. A spare dry bag makes a good bin.
• Support local conservation if you canReef Conservation runs education programmes and Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas around the island; visiting responsibly and spreading the word both count.