The Explorations de Monaco presented the final report of their 2022 Indian Ocean mission at the Oceanographic Museum on Wednesday, as part of the Monaco Blue Initiative, four years after the expedition was conducted across waters shared by Mauritius, the Seychelles, and the Saya de Malha Bank — one of the world’s largest submerged landmasses.
The presentation brought together Monaco’s Minister of State Christophe Mirmand, Foreign Affairs Minister Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Mauritius Agriculture and Blue Economy Minister Dr Arvin Boolell, and Seychelles Principal Minister and Fisheries Minister Wallace Cosgrow, alongside scientific and institutional stakeholders from across the region.
Twenty-five recommendations
The report’s conclusions centre on four priority areas: the preservation of marine ecosystems, the sustainable management of fisheries resources, the fight against human-driven pressures on the ocean, and the strengthening of regional cooperation.
Twenty-five recommendations were formally presented, developed through a collaborative Science to Policy Workshop held in Port Louis, Mauritius, in November 2025. They focus on improving scientific monitoring, consolidating the link between research and policy decision-making, and supporting concrete action for the long-term sustainability of Indian Ocean marine spaces.
BBNJ as a framework for progress
Discussions highlighted the potential of the BBNJ Agreement — the UN High Seas Treaty that entered into force in 2024 — to address the growing environmental challenges facing the south-western Indian Ocean, particularly in relation to the governance of areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Joint Management Area shared between Mauritius and the Seychelles was a focal point of the mission and its recommendations.
Participants underlined the need for integrated, science-based governance built on data sharing and cooperation between regional and international institutions — precisely the kind of multilateral framework that the Monaco Blue Initiative was convened to advance.
Monaco’s ocean commitment
The Explorations de Monaco was established at the initiative of the Monegasque Government and brings together the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Oceanographic Institute, the Scientific Centre of Monaco, and the Yacht Club de Monaco. It coordinates international collaborative missions linking Monegasque institutions with partners around the world.
The Indian Ocean report presentation came on the same day as the Blue Initiative’s panel discussions on BBNJ implementation and high seas marine protected areas, reinforcing Monaco’s position as a key convener of international ocean governance during its presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.
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Photo credit: Philippe Fitte