The Second Western Indian Ocean National or International Seamounts, Banks, and Submarine Structures Network (WIO N.O.I.S.E) Workshop opened, this morning, at the seat of the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration (CSMZAE), in Port Louis.
The two-day workshop is organised by the Department for CSMZAE in collaboration with the Institute for Research and Development (IRD), France; the Mauritius-Seychelles Joint Management Area; Monaco Explorations; and the Fond Français pour l’Environnement Mondial. It has brought together around 30 participants from Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, France and Monaco.
Entitled “Facilitating decision-making on Seychelles and Mauritius remote marine heritage, and adjacent areas, through scientific, economic and legal means: the concrete challenge”, the workshop builds upon the outcomes of the first WIO N.O.I.S.E. meeting held in 2023. It seeks to enhance the network’s capacity and provide scientific and technical support to coastal States in addressing marine governance challenges across the South-Western Indian Ocean (SWIO).
In his opening remarks, the Director-General of the Department for CSMZAE, Dr Rezah Badal, underlined that WIO N.O.I.S.E. serves as a unique platform where science, law and economics converge to transform data into policy-relevant knowledge. He highlighted that the network unites world-leading experts in deep ocean science and aims to ensure that marine heritage is responsibly managed, sustainably utilised, and preserved for future generations.
Dr Badal pointed out that the SWIO region is home to some of the world’s most unique and least-explored ecosystems, including seamounts, banks, abyssal plains, hydrothermal systems, and other underwater geological formations rich in biodiversity and scientific value. Recent joint scientific expeditions, including those supported by Monaco Explorations, have unveiled coral ecosystems thriving at unexpected depths, previously unknown species, and distinctive geological processes shaping the seabed, he underscored.
“These discoveries reaffirm the Indian Ocean as one of the last frontiers of scientific exploration,” he said.
“But discovery alone is not enough, knowledge must be transformed into practical governance tools such as management plans, zoning, conservation measures, and decision-making frameworks that enable countries like Mauritius and Seychelles to pursue sustainable development while safeguarding their interests,” he stated.
Speaking about the workshop, Dr Badal highlighted that participants will review the latest scientific and technical data gathered since 2023, discuss new questions and challenges that have emerged in recent years, and identify knowledge gaps that hinder effective decision-making. Discussions are expected to generate actionable recommendations and define priority research directions to strengthen marine spatial planning, biodiversity conservation, ocean economics, climate resilience, and legal preparedness under frameworks such as UNCLOS and the emerging Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, he underlined.
Also present during the opening, the Chargée de recherche en droit public at the IRD, Dr Florence Galetti, underscored that the workshop will focus on the Saya de Malha Joint Management Area, with potential expansion to the wider Mascarene Plateau between Seychelles and Mauritius. She emphasised the importance of incorporating both new data and emerging questions into future research to bridge existing knowledge gaps and improve marine governance across the region.
Following this workshop, from 12 to 14 November 2025, the Department will host the Monaco Explorations – Science to Policy Workshop, which will aim to translate the scientific outcomes and recommendations of WIO N.O.I.S.E into concrete policy directions and guide the development of future collaborative projects at national, regional, and international levels.
Source : GIS
