The Seychelles MSP contains 13 Marine Protection Areas, covering more than 410,000 km2 in Seychelles marine waters. As per the regulations, management plans are needed for each designated Protected Area in Seychelles. In the case of the SMSP, these management plans will align with the outputs of the SMSP process and follow the directions and considerations developed by stakeholders since 2014 with the Allowable Activities Tables.
Existing and possible future uses that occur within the boundary will align with the SMSP Allowable Activities Tables, management considerations, and information provided by stakeholders through the SMSP process as well as management plan consultations.
All management plans will be developed using a transparent and participatory process, with stakeholder consultations scheduled for each area. Four areas already have management plans from the GoS-UNDP-Gef Outer Islands Project: Desroches, Poivre, Alphonse and Farquhar.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE) developed an MPA management framework with a consultancy in 2020-2021 and this document is being finalized.
An MPA management plan template was developed in 2021-2023 by a consultancy, led by MACCE, for the purpose of providing an overall outline that could be applied consistently across the thirteen SMSP marine protection areas, with flexibility to adapt as needed for each area and also to be used for existing Marine Protected Areas. This template has gone through public review, with MACCE now reviewing comments and inputs.
It may take several years to develop and receive government approval for management plans for all 13 areas designated during the MSP process.
The SMSP core team is assisting with coordination of information and communications for the draft management plans, most of which are being developed by consultants. Please see the links below to connect to web pages that contain the draft Management Plans that are underway. Plans are subject to change on review with stakeholders, and with government review and approval.
Funding for developing the Zone 1 and Zone 2 management plans is coming from SWIOFIsh3, The Nature Conservancy, Oceans5, and other sources, with support from SeyCCAT and oversight from MACCE.
Zone 1 – Marine National Park
- Aldabra Group
- Amirantes South
- Bird Island – in development
- D’Arros Island – in development
- D’Arros to Poivre
Zone 2 – Marine Sustainable Use Areas
- Alphonse Island – Outer islands Project 2020
- Amirantes to Fortune Bank – click here
- Cosmoledo and Astove Archipelago – click here
- Denis Island – public review begins 15 April 2024 – click here
- Desroches Atoll – Outer islands Project 2020
- Farquhar Atoll – Outer islands Project 2020
- Farquhar Archipelago – click here
- Poivre Atoll – Outer islands Project 2020
Updated: 5 April 2024