Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan eyes creation of new independent ocean authority
An independent ocean authority is expected to be set up in Seychelles by 2025 to ensure proper monitoring and protection of the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The proposed authority is being considered now that the island nation has reached its target of 30 percent ocean protection around some of its outer islands as part of the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan (SMSP).
The 30 percent or 410,000 squares kilometres of the island nation’s 1.3 million squares kilometres EEZ will now be fully safeguarded to encourage sustainable development. (Michael Scholl)
Seychelles Conservation and Climate Change Trust (SeyCCAT) announces the launch of the 4th Blue Grants Fund call for proposals.
This year, SeyCCAT finances projects that fall under any of the three strategic objectives:
Strategic Objective 1: Support new and existing marine and coastal protected areas and sustainable use zones
Strategic Objective 2: Empower the fisheries sector with robust science and know-how to improve governance, sustainability, value and market options.
Strategic Objective 5: Trial and nurture business models to secure the sustainable development of Seychelles’ blue economy.
The specific types of project that SeyCCAT is financing this year can be found here.
Projects can be submitted that require either small/medium grants up to SCR 100,000, or large grants between SCR 100,000 and SCR 1,000,000. SeyCCAT anticipates dispersing approximately SCR 12.8 million through this fourth Blue Grants Fund announcement. Any locally registered NGO or CSO, businesses, parastatal organization, government agencies or departments, and citizens of Seychelles may submit a proposal, as long as they have legally existed and operated in the Seychelles for a minimum of one year. The deadline for concept notes for the fourth call is August 14, 2020.
Just launched on 27 July 2020, the Global Mangrove Watch is a monitoring and early warning tool for mangrove ecosystems health, protection, and degradation. Mangrove trees are equipped with impressive filtration systems that allow them to filter out or exclude salt altogether, despite their twice-daily inundation by saltwater due to changing tides. Perhaps their most notable feature, mangroves have complex root systems that extend above and below the water line. These roots allow mangroves to stabilize themselves and prevent erosion to the coastline, and also provide habitat, nurseries, and feeding grounds for a vast array of fish and other organisms.
Seychelles has legally designated 30 percent of its territorial waters as marine protected areas 10 years ahead of international targets, President Danny Faure said at the signing of legal document on Thursday. Faure said that with the signature and gazetting of the legal instruments “13 new areas will be declared as protected under the National Parks and Nature Conservancy Act, totalling an area of 410,000 square kilometres.”
The President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, and former President James Michel received the Planetary and Leadership Award on Wednesday at the National Geographic Awards ceremony at the George Washington University, in Washington D.C.
The Planetary and Leadership award recognises a world leader who has successfully established globally significant protected areas, such as national parks, wilderness areas, or marine reserves, that are fully shielded from exploitation. Faure dedicated the award to the people of Seychelles, State House said. He said that Seychellois citizens have a strong connection with nature and remain committed to successfully protecting and preserving the environment.
“With this award, the National Geographic Society is acknowledging the work we have done, and it is a powerful, emotional recognition of the longstanding vision of Seychelles and our journey so far, for me to be on this stage today,” he said.
President Danny Faure and former President James Michel received the Planetary and Leadership Award on Wednesday at the National Geographic Awards ceremony. (State House)
On Environment Day, 5 June, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change announces that Seychelles MSP has achieved the second Milestone of the award-winning debt conversion.
Seychelles has designated 26 percent of its territorial waters as marine protection areas to complete the second phase of the debt for conservation finance deal with The Nature Conservancy, the environment minister said on Wednesday. The announcement was made by Wallace Cosgrow, the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, in his message for the World Environment Day on June 5. With the new designation, which is a product of the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) process, Seychelles’ protected area is now 350,915 square kilometres of the island nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.4 million square kilometres.
The global causes of sea-level rise, coral bleaching, plastic pollution et al adversely impact small island states such as Seychelles. To protect its waters, the country has created a Marine Special Plan, which aims to protect this precious ecosystem.
An interview with Seychelles MSP team is featured in the June – August 2019 issue of Royal Overseas League magazine.
Seychelles MSP core team is excited to be attending and presenting at the 11th Scientific Symposium of WIOMSA – Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association. Hosted in Mauritius from 1-6 July 2019 a the University of Mauritius, the WIOMSA is the largest open scientific conference in the region on marine and coastal issues!
MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING IN SEYCHELLES
IMPLEMENTING A MARINE SPATIAL PLAN IN SEYCHELLES
Seychelles Conservation and Climate Change Trust (
