Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 NM): Maritime Zones (Territorial Sea Outer Limit Lines) regulation is yet to be finalised.
- Exclusive Economic Zone: Around 2 200 000 km2
- Extended continental shelf: Joint Management Area: Around 390 000 km2
Strategic documents related to MSP
- Strategic actions of the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration Strategic Actions (CSMZAE)
- Maritime Zones Act 2005
- Maritime Zones (Economic Activities) Regulations 2014
- Offshore Petroleum Act 2021
- Land Based Oceanic Industry (Prescribed Area) Regulations 2015
- ICZM Framework, Fisheries Act
Technical resources related to MSP
- Ocean Observatory E-Platform
- Development of regulated framework for new marine economic activities
- ArcGIS
- ArcGIS Pro
- Matlab
- Marxan
Relevant MSP projects
- Mainstreaming biodiversity into the management of the coastal zone in the Republic of Mauritius
- Underwater Cultural Heritage
- Establishment of the appropriate framework to implement MSP (e.g Regulations)
- Report on SDG 14.5 objectives for the EEZ of Mauritius
- Identification, zoning and regulation for New Economic Activities
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Marine Spatial Plan for the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Mauritius |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
Exclusive Economic Zone of Mauritius |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Prime Minister’s office, Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Underway |
Plan development |
Status: N/A |
Plan completion |
Status: N/A |
Plan approval |
Status: N/A |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review |
Status: N/A |
Name of the plan |
Demonstrating Innovative Ocean Governance Mechanisms and Delivering Best Practices and Lessons for Extended Continental Shelf Management within the Western Indian Ocean Large Marine Ecosystem (SAPPHIRE Joint Management Area Demonstration Project) |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development |
Status: Completed |
Plan completion |
Status: Underway |
Plan approval |
Status: N/A |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review |
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Prime Minister’s office, Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration |
Governmental funding |
Budget |
External funding |
Capacity Building, setting of an online platform, Consultancy |
Public-private funding |
None |
Total size of planning area |
Around 2 200 000 km2 |
Time required to complete the planning documentation |
Around 3 years |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Conflicts, conservation of biodiversity |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Involvement of relevant stakeholders in Coordinating Committee for MSP |
Sectors included in planning |
All members of Coordinating Committee includingEnvironment, Fisheries, Energy, Tourism, amongst others |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM)
|
ICZM included in MSP Coordinating Committee |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework)
|
MSP working group on Marine Conservation has been set up. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
Blue Economy Division included in MSP Coordinating Committee |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
Climate Change Division included in MSP Coordinating Committee |
Plan approval process |
Process started, currently underway, individual plans not available but will be drafted soon. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Cabinet decision, policy decision, guiding presently. Legal framework is in the pipeline. |
Plan review process |
MSP plan not yet finalised |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
Will be implemented after MSP plan is finalised |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
MSP roadmap in Mauritius-Seychelles Joint Management Area (JMA) (Extended Continental Shelf) |
Legal framework
Government Decision on 16 December 2016.
Regulatory framework for MSP under the provision of the Maritime Zones Act underway.
Contact
Prime Minister’s office, Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration
Dr. Rezah Mohammed Badal – Director General