Buttressing marine spatial planning and sustainable ocean governance

The Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration (CSMZAE) of the Prime Minister’s Office, has upgraded the Mauritius Ocean Observatory E-platform (E-platform). It is a centralised online system for managing geospatial information related to the maritime zones of the Republic of Mauritius, giving access to near real-time wave observations.

Speaking on the importance of the E-platform, the Director General of the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration (CSMZAE), Dr Rezah Badal, underlined that the system enables authorities, researchers and stakeholders to visualise social, oceanographic and economic parameters, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and helping to avert potential spatial conflicts in coastal regions. Mauritius, with its vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), must optimise the use of its marine resources while balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, he said.

Dr Rezah Badal also highlighted that the E-platform will provide investors and entrepreneurs with a clearer vision for sustainable development opportunities. The platform also serves as a tool to ensure the protection of marine biodiversity so that the population can fully benefit from the potential of the maritime zones. He further pointed out that the marine environment is constantly evolving, making continuous access to reliable and up-to-date information essential.

The E-platform operates as a centralised system for collecting, storing and sharing data relating to the maritime zones of the Republic of Mauritius. It also supports the country’s Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiative by providing access to spatio-temporal geospatial data relevant to ocean exploration and development.

The MSP has become an essential device for promoting sustainable ocean development by balancing environmental conservation, economic activities and social objectives. It provides a comprehensive and transparent ocean governance framework that coordinates human activities in marine and coastal areas using the best available knowledge and data.

According to Dr Badal, the approach integrates the interests of key maritime sectors such as fisheries, shipping, tourism, renewable energy and conservation, while allocating marine space in a manner that minimises user conflicts and encourages synergies between sectors. He added that MSP also supports emerging projects such as seawater air conditioning in the port area, the identification of suitable zones for marine renewable energy, the relocation of fish farming zones, and the harmonisation of coastal environments for tourism and recreational activities.

Another benefit relates to the dissemination of scientific information and research data collected during approved marine scientific research expeditions, in line with the Maritime Zones (Conduct of Marine Scientific Research) Regulations 2017 and Article 244 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In November 2023, the CSMZAE was mandated to host the National Oceanographic Data Centre of Mauritius by virtue of the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange programme of IOC-UNESCO. In this context, the E-platform provides stewardship and access to national oceanographic data resources.

The platform further functions as the national marine spatial data infrastructure (MSDI), supporting international standards for accessible and collaborative marine data management advocated by the International Hydrographic Organisation. It will also act as the central repository for bathymetric data and provide users with access to near real-time information and statistics from the Directional Wave Rider buoy through an interactive dashboard.

Developed by using the GeoNode open-source geospatial content management system, the E-platform integrates tools for data management, metadata creation and map visualisation. Data and reports can be shared publicly or restricted to authorised users, while built-in communication tools facilitate collaboration among researchers, data providers and policymakers.

The E-platform can be accessed by Government institutions, parastatal bodies and the public at https://oceanobservatory.govmu.org.

09 June 2026

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Topics: Maritime, Ocean Economy