Mauritius's 2026-2027 budget allocates Rs 150 million to establish an International Ocean Studies Centre at the University of Mauritius. The decision organises the island's maritime ambition around three pillars: research, innovation, and industrial fishing.
A Marine Incubator and Tripled Fishing Targets
At the heart of the initiative is a dedicated marine technology incubator, complemented by Rs 41 million for two new facilities at the Albion research centre. The stated goal is ambitious: raise national fish production from 5,000 to 15,000 tonnes per year within three years, through expanded semi-industrial fishing and reinforced support for artisanal fishermen.
Aquaculture receives unprecedented territorial coverage with 28 designated zones — 20 in the lagoon, 2 offshore and 6 in barachois — for diversified farming including seaweed cultivation. Aquaculture feed imports are eligible for a subsidy capped at $200,000 per container.
A New Fishing Port and Hydrographic Framework
The budget also provides for a new fishing port with modern storage and processing facilities — a prerequisite for tripled production to find local and export markets. A hydrographic regulatory framework will also be developed for marine and coastal mapping, an essential foundation for responsible exploitation of underwater resources.
These measures form part of a broader strategy around a Start-Up Act announced by the government, aimed at building an innovation ecosystem in Mauritius, including blue economy technologies.
Why It Matters
Mauritius is deploying a coherent strategy: turning its 2.3 million km² Exclusive Economic Zone — one of the largest in the Indian Ocean — into a concrete economic advantage. The International Ocean Studies Centre, if properly resourced, could position the island as the scientific and industrial reference for the blue economy across the Indian Ocean. For investors, the 28 designated aquaculture zones send a clear opening signal in a sector that remains almost entirely untapped.
Source: Defimedia.info, ION News, L'Express Maurice — Budget 2026-2027. AI-assisted — reviewed and verified.