Overview
- An internal European Commission note published this month says the Chagos sovereignty transfer could raise the value of the EU’s fisheries deal with Mauritius if commercial fishing is later allowed around the islands.
- Under a pact agreed in May last year, the UK plans to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base for 99 years.
- Scientists warn that letting EU fleets target tuna in Chagos waters could deplete stocks and damage a rich habitat for manta rays, whale sharks and other species that have benefited from a UK-enforced no-take zone.
- The UK government argues the agreement secures Diego Garcia after a 2019 ICJ opinion backed Mauritius’ claim, while critics note the treaty does not oblige Mauritius to keep the no-take rules and that Mauritius has opposed the MPA’s legal status.
- Right-leaning outlets and opposition figures, including Priti Patel and Nigel Farage, portray the plan as a security risk and a giveaway to EU trawlers, as Brussels tracks the talks and already licenses tuna fishing in nearby Indian Ocean states.