In January 2023, with financial support from SeyCCAT, the SMSP has received a report “Towards Effective Implementation of the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan – Legal Considerations and Roadmap”. The purpose of the study was to provide the SMSP and government with an in-depth review of current legislation, regulations and policy and prepare a legal roadmap for finalizing the SMSP and signing the MSP into law or regulation.
From the report: “Seychelles is poised to complete work on the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan (SMSP), the culmination of a ground-breaking effort launched in 2014 and supported through the first ever ocean debt conversion. As the Government-led SMSP Initiative prepares to implement the plan, Seychelles finds itself overall well positioned with respect to the national legal and policy framework governing ocean management.
Certain key steps remain to be completed to help make the SMSP legally binding and ensure successful long-term administration and oversight of the SMSP. Accordingly, this report: identifies and discusses various legal considerations with respect to national-level marine spatial planning; relies on those considerations to characterise and assess the current legal landscape for marine planning in Seychelles, noting potential gaps; and concludes with recommendations and a proposed legal “roadmap” for navigating the way forward.”