As part of World Oceans Day and Oceans Week celebrations, we are sharing how we are taking action for the oceans. Join us in collective action to revitalize the ocean, which is the theme of this year’s celebrations.
Protecting the Cousin Island MPA
Cousin Island Special Reserve includes the surrounding waters up to 400 metres offshore in all directions. It is one of the oldest marine reserves in the region and is rich in marine life of great ecological interest. Nature Seychelles has protected the marine communities of the Cousin MPA for decades. Our team monitors the health of the marine life regularly. The Cousin wardens patrol the waters to ensure that poaching doesn’t occur so that the Reserve can continue to serve as a fish reservoir for neighbouring fisheries.
Restoring coral reefs
Our large-scale coral reef restoration project began more than a decade ago to restore the bleached reefs around the Cousin Island marine protected area. We grew and planted tens of thousands of coral fragments on degraded reefs in Cousin Island, trained coral practitioners around the world, and published a toolkit that was well received. We are now well into a new phase of this project, which is looking at innovative techniques in coral genetics and reproduction. To complement our underwater nurseries, we are setting up Africa’s first land-based micro-fragmentation coral farm in Praslin Island, capable of producing thousands of coral fragments faster.
Involving communities in ocean conservation and management
We are empowering the people of Port Glaud to be better stewards of the coastal and marine resources in the district, specifically the Baie Ternay and Port Launay Marine National Parks through the LEAP project. A co-management agreement with the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority allows all legitimate stakeholders – NGOs, businesses, local governments, and communities – to participate in the management of these protected areas. We have initiated activities including interactive public meetings, beach clean-ups, local livelihood assessments, and scientific research. In addition, we launched the LEAP Junior club, which is based at the Port Glaud School and is aimed at raising the next generation of coastal and marine custodians.
Managing the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman
Nature Seychelles began rehabilitating the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman 15 years ago. The site is now the only managed urban wetland in Seychelles and is home to diverse fauna and flora. As a vital mangrove and brackish water ecosystem, it provides services such as flood control, coastal and shoreline protection, filtration of pollutants, nursery areas for fish and invertebrates, and a habitat for a wide variety of species. The Sanctuary is also a popular site for “outdoor classroom” learning by local schools.
Advocating for sustainable use of ocean resources
Nature Seychelles insists that the Blue Economy can only be termed as such if the components are proven to be sustainable and not business as usual. Our Chief Executive, Dr. Nirmal Shah, for example, has taken the lead on the subject of the overfishing of tuna in the Indian Ocean. Dr. Shah has written on the subject, been interviewed by local and international news outlets, and has been featured in videos and TV programs advocating for holding the Distant Water Fishing Companies licensed in Seychelles accountable for the overfishing.
Source: Nature Seychelles