Campaigners have long warned about the environmental impacts of surrendering the Chagos Islands
Keir Starmer during a press statement on Berlin, Germany (Image: getty)
Labour’s surrender of the Chagos Islands puts at risk one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. That has been the long-time warning of MPs and conservationists.
The British Indian Ocean Territory is home to the world’s largest no-take marine protected area, which at 640,000sq km is roughly the same size as France. This precious habitat is home to more than 1,000 species of fish, sharks, dolphins, crabs and birds. Critics had warned Sir Keir Starmer that his deal to hand over the Chagos Islands put the pristine marine ecosystem at risk.
But what few may have predicted is that the EU would be the one to swoop in and capitalise on the deal.
Brussels believes the Prime Minister’s plan to transfer sovereignty “could further increase the relevance” of its existing fishing agreement with Mauritius by opening swathes of ocean around the Chagos Islands to French and Spanish vessels.
A document published this month by the European Commission reportedly says that a deal could open the door to fishing licences, in a major boost to European-owned trawlers.
The EU fleet already uses fishing licences in the Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius to target Indian Ocean species such as yellowfin tuna. Indian Ocean tuna is worth more than £6billion a year.
The UK’s agreement with Mauritius speaks of creating a new marine protected area under Mauritian control, but environmentalists have warned there are no guarantees it will maintain the existing level of protection.
Mauritius had even opposed the creation of the protections in the first place, given its fishing interests.
There have also been warnings that it lacks the navy required to defend the islands from environmental exploitation. Mauritius ranks 160th in the 2025 Military Power Ranking.
It maintains close bilateral defence ties with India, France, and the US, particularly for coastal surveillance and anti-drug operations.
The UK Government established the Chagos Marine Protected Area in 2010, with patrols enforcing the no-take zone and other activities to protect the unique habitats and rich marine biodiversity.
Now, it is not just the UK’s national security at risk, but also the future of hundreds of rare species.