National Assembly debates Mauritius Hydrographic Services Bill to establish legal framework for maritime activities
via Le Mauricien6 min read
The Mauritius Hydrographic Services Bill, presented for its second reading in the National Assembly, aims to provide a legal foundation for the country's hydrographic activities and assert Mauritius' control over its vast maritime territories. The bill proposes the official creation of the Mauritius Hydrographic Services, protection of national hydrographic data, and regulation of surveys conducted by private operators. Minister of Housing and Lands, Shakeel Mohamed, emphasized that the legislation is strategic for an island nation with a maritime jurisdiction of approximately 2.3 million square kilometers in the Indian Ocean. He stated that every marine chart, depth survey, or seabed study represents an "act of sovereignty." Currently, these responsibilities are handled by an administrative hydrographic unit, and the bill seeks to grant it legal status under the relevant ministry. Mohamed highlighted three urgent reasons for this reform: international commitments under UNCLOS and SOLAS, which require states to collect hydrographic data and publish nautical information; the evolving Mauritian maritime territory, including the agreement with the UK on the Chagos Archipelago and submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for the Rodrigues region and the Joint Management Area with Seychelles; and the need to own hydrographic data collected in Mauritian waters. Clause 12 of the bill stipulates that all hydrographic data collected in the country's maritim
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