Seychelles
441,513 square kilometers of improved management of Existing Ocean Conservation Area
Lead Partner: Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT)
Coordinates for Seychelles marine protections can be accessed through the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan Initiative
Supporting coordinated governance and innovative finance to drive marine conservation
The Republic of Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands, is a true oasis of marine life within the Western Indian Ocean. Seychelles has outstanding seascapes such as the famous Aldabra atoll, a gem listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1982. Widely considered among the world’s most environmentally conscious nations, Seychelles has protected more than half of its total land area and, in March 2020, established a network of 13 marine protected areas (MPAs) over 441,000 square kilometers – 30% of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) and the Government of Seychelles are working in collaboration with the Blue Nature Alliance to ensure the effective and durable management of the newly established network of MPAs. The Blue Nature Alliance is supporting the MPA network’s governance body with technical support and core staffing. This will help put the building blocks in place for MPA implementation and further support management planning and stakeholders’ engagement. This includes the capacity building of SeyCCAT and working closely with the Trust to increase and manage the streams of sustainable financing required to ensure a robust network.
Throughout its engagement, the Blue Nature Alliance is committed to assisting SeyCCAT, the Government of Seychelles, the MPA network’s governance agency, and the Seychelles community to build local capacity. With this collaboration, the extraordinary network of MPAs will have the strong management needed to ensure thriving communities and ecosystems in the long term.