on 1 april 2010, the chagos marine protected area (mpa) was declared to cover the waters around the chagos archipelago. however mauritius objected stating this was contrary to its legal rights, and on 18 march 2015 the permanent court of arbitration ruled that the chagos marine protected area was illegal under the united nations convention on the law of the sea as mauritius had legally binding rights to fish in the waters surrounding the chagos archipelago, to an eventual return of the chagos archipelago, and to the preservation of any minerals or oil discovered in or near the chagos archipelago prior to its return.