General Rules « Saint Brandon Sanctuary

Birds: St Brandon’s atoll is an important bird sanctuary. Please interfere as little as possible with them. When doing beach excursions, please be careful not to walk on eggs or to disturb a nest. Not all islands can be visited, for example the islands which hold colonies of roseate sterns such as petit IDS, Veronge or Zozo Posé should not be approached. These bird species chicks are very skittish and if disturbed will run out to sea and often drown unable to come back ashore.

Fishing: We allow visitors to catch and keep fish which will be kept for the same day meals. All other fish caught during the day must be released whilst taking as much care as possible not to harm them. We recommend removing the barbs from hooks to ensure minimum damage to the fish released. When fishing for a meal, please do so outside the lagoons as one must remember that the lagoons are the cradle for St Brandon’s fish population. Strictly no fish is allowed to be brought back to Mauritius.

Crayfish: Enough crayfish for a meal can be caught on the condition that strictly no females with eggs and small specimen are kept. Please be careful while catching the crayfish as it is only once caught that one can see if it is a female or not. Ensure not to damage the coral reef when crayfishing. Same as for the fish, strictly no crayfish allowed to be brought back to Mauritius.

Turtles: Please interfere as little as possible with them either on land when they are nesting or in the water especially while they are breeding. The biggest crime one could commit on St Brandon would be to kill one for the meat or even dig out an egg for a meal. STRICTLY PROHIBITED

Sharks: Shark fishing is not permitted, if accidentally caught; great care must be taken so as to release it ASAP. Shark fining is obviously strictly prohibited

Sea Shells: St Brandon are full of seashells, one may bring back a few dead ones as souvenir but bearing in mind, a sea shell looks much nicer on a beach than on a shelf. Live seashells or shells which have a new owner (eg. hermit crabs) are strictly prohibited to be touched.

Anchoring: We have a few permanent moorings strategically placed around St Brandon; please make use of these so as to cause no harm to the coral reef by dropping anchor. If one inevitably has to put down anchor, please be sure to set it down on a sandy bottom.

Kite-Surf: Please practice this sport away from the islands as the kites affects the bird populations nesting on them.

Illegal activities: If you find or see anyone not respecting the above rules of conduct or practicing any illegal activity, please inform the company ASAP and we will make sure to take action, report him/them to the relevant authority and further block that individual or group from any activity offered by the company in the future.