Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I shall reply to Parliamentary Question B /813 regarding the 30th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which was held from 11 to 15 May 2026 in the Maldives. Mauritius was duly represented at the session through a hybrid delegation comprising representatives of Government and private sector. At the outset, I wish to clarify that the decision for virtual participation was a deliberate and principled one, following Government's decision of 27 February 2026 to suspend bilateral relation with the Maldives after that country publicly objected to the United Kingdom-Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago. However, I must emphasise that the hybrid mode of participation is fully recognised under the IOTC rules or procedures and Resolution 25/01. Mauritius was not the only Member State participating virtually as several delegations similarly opted for remote participation during the session. I also wish to place on record that virtual participation of Mauritius did not, in any way, affect the effectiveness or substance of the Mauritian delegation's contribution. Mauritius participated fully in all negotiation, technical discussion and decision-making processes and firmly defended its national, economic and strategic interests throughout the proceedings. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as regards part (a) of the question, the Mauritian delegation was led by Mrs M.S. Koonjul, Director of Fisheries of the Ministry. The delegation further comprised representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, and the private sector, namely; Alba Fishing Limited, Princes Tuna Group and IBL Seafood. The participation of both government institutions and major operators of the seafood industry reflected the importance attached by Mauritius to regional fisheries management, seafood export, employment creation, food security and the blue economy. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as regards part (b) of the question, I am informed that 17 proposals, including amendments to existing conservation and management measures were tabled and discussed during the session. The principal issues debated, related mainly to interim catch limit for yellowfin tuna, allocation criteria for skipjack tuna, interim catch limits for swordfish and sustainability and conservation measures within the Indian Ocean region. Following extensive negotiation and consultation among member states, eight resolutions were formally adopted during the session. I am tabling same. Mr Deputy Speaker, sir, as regards part (c) of the question, I now come to the principal outcomes and their implications for Mauritius. Firstly, concerning yellowfin tuna, Mauritius co-sponsored together with Kenya and Tanzania, a proposal aimed at establishing interim catch limit consistent with the scientific advice of the IOTC Scientific Committee. Following deliberation and voting by member state, the proposal was adopted with 21 votes in favour, four abstention and one vote against. As a result, Mauritius secured an increase of its yellowfin tuna allocation from 10,490 tons to 10,990 tons for the year 2027, representing an additional allocation of 500 tons. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this increase is economically significant for Mauritius. I am informed that the existing quota of 10,490 tons for 2026 has already been substantially allocated among licensed industrial operators engaged in purse seine and long line fishing activities. These activities sustain important economic sectors in Mauritius including seafood processing, export-oriented activities, employment creation, logistics and port services and value-added operation within the seafood hub. The increase in quota will therefore support additional economic activities and strengthen the contribution of the fishery sector to the national economy and the blue economy. Secondly, regarding skipjack tuna, Resolution 25/3 adopted in 2025, had allocated Mauritius a quota of 13,908 tons which will enter in force on 01 January 2028. During the present session, Mauritius submitted a proposal seeking a revision of allocation criteria applicable to Small Island Developing States with a view to increasing the Mauritian allocation from 13,908 tons to 19,009 tons, representing an additional of 5,101 tons. The proposal was motivated by the needs to better safeguard the economic interests of Small Island Developing States such as Mauritius, which remains heavily dependent on tuna fisheries, seafood processing and export activities. Also, consensus was not reached during this session, discussions were substantive and constructive. The proposal has, accordingly, been deferred to the 2027 session for further scientific and technical consultation. Mauritius will continue to engage actively with like- minded Member States in support for of a fairer and more equitable allocation framework that better reflects the realities and vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States. Thirdly, regarding short fish, the proposal relating interim catch limit was adopted in line with recommendation of the IOTC Scientific Committee. Mauritius, however, remained categorised as a small harvester based on its historical catch level of 194 tons recorded in 2024 and is, therefore, not subject to any specific short fish catch limit for the years 2027 and 2028. I also wish to underline that Mauritius continues to comply with all conservation and management measures adopted by the IOTC and remains fully committed to sustainable fisheries management and responsible utilisation of marine resources. In this regard, Mauritius achieved a compliance score of 87.3% for the year 2025 under the IOTC Compliance Framework, reflecting the country's sustained commitment to responsible fisheries governance, transparency and international cooperation. I further wish to emphasise that the fisheries industry and seafood sector remain a major pillar of the Mauritian economy through employment generation, seafood processing, export, logistic, port activities and other ancillary services associated with the blue economy. Government will, therefore, continue to engage actively within regional fisheries management bodies to safeguard the interest of Mauritius, secure fair and equitable treatment for Small Island Developing States, and further strengthen the long-term sustainability and economic contribution of the fisheries and the blue economic sectors to the national economy. Thank you. NATIONAL WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR COUNCIL – SECRETARY – QUALIFICATIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES